Love Hina: The Exiles
by JimVan
Summary: Now, Kei'joshua, the newest of the Exiles, lives among the society and rebuilds his life. But something sinister looms on the horizon for his new family...
1. The Tragic Betrayal

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. Love Hina is the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and associates in TokyoPop and TVTokyo. Did you even read this far? I'm impressed.  
  
Author: Hey there. This is my first real attempt at a full fanfic. In this story, Keitaro's heart is broken by Naru, and he wallows in misery until a mysterious visitor appears and says he knows where Keitaro would be able to begin the new life he needs. Keitaro, and Shinobu, listen to him and find themselves drawn in to a world most never knew existed. But when Naru and the other Hinata girls find out what has happened, and Naru breaks apart with grief, a wild Hina search-and-recover mission ensues, and total chaos is the result. The characters may seem a bit OOC at times, but the story needs that. The rating is PG-13 for now, because later in the story there may be some references that minors probably shouldn't be reading. That's enough for now, stay tuned and I might tell you more later. Enjoy.  
  
Love Hina – The Exiles Saga

Chapter 1: The Tragic Betrayal

It was a quiet, peaceful, starry night. The pale light of the half-moon shone in the sky over the peaceful, sleeping city of Hinata Hot Springs. It was well past midnight. The streets were empty and quiet. The cold mists floated low between the roofed buildings of the city. The people slept quietly, peacefully, and contented in their warm beds.  
  
Except one...  
  
The impressive building of the Hinatasou sat upon the hill overlooking the city and going on, untarnished in its existence, waiting for the end of time. It was in the second floor of the building, within the kanrinrin's room, that one restless soul sat...  
  
He slouched upon his futon, gazing out at the sky through the open window. The moon shone brightly down at him, glinting and reflecting off the squarish frames of his glasses. He leaned forward into the beam of light, his face appearing in the beam of moonlight. His dark brown hair hung in bangs over his smooth, pale forehead, the chocolate-colored eyes staring, glazed over, from beneath the lenses of a pair of glasses. His straight nose and full mouth were pulled down in an expression of thoughtfulness.  
  
He blinked slowly, and cast his gaze back down to the floor.  
  
"Why?" the voice came out hoarse and husky. He normally spoke lightly and brightly, but the weight of his mind simply felt too great to lift his voice.  
  
He looked up again.  
  
"Why? Why is it all so...pointless?"  
  
He held a small sticker album in his hand. He looked slowly down at it, and opened it, flipping through the pages until he found the one he wanted. The stickers seemed to leap out at him from the page. He saw two smiling, happy faces in each of them, but he knew it was all just an act now. The two may be smiling in the picture, but in real life...  
  
He slowly took hold of the corner of the page and tore it, carefully, from the spine of the book. He gazed over the stickers...one last time. He slowly rose and walked over to his desk. Kneeling, he opened the drawer and rummaged inside for the tool he wanted.  
  
Slowly rising again, he gazed at the small cigarette lighter he clutched in his fist. He walked to the window, and held out his hands to the open air, one holding the stickers, and the other holding the lighter. He then slowly moved the lighter closer to the corner of the page.  
  
He clicked the lighter.  
  
Nothing happened. His hand was shaking too much.  
  
He clicked the lighter again, more steadily.  
  
Nothing happened. It was still too weak.  
  
He shook his head. He steeled himself.  
  
_Remember what she said! Remember what she did! I must do this!_  
  
He forced himself to remember what had happened that day. He felt his anger slowly return. If he could not do this to her, he could at least let go of these memories. None of it meant anything now.  
  
He gathered all his might to click the lighter, but his hand shook so violently he dropped the lighter to the ground, more than ten metres below. He gazed in anguish down at the falling lighter, before slowly walking back to his futon and collapsing onto it. He still clutched the sticker page in his left hand. He raised it, shakingly, to his face and gazed upon it again, and then up at the hole in his ceiling.  
  
"I can't even get the strength to throw away your lies."  
  
His saddened face fell flat down into his futon pillow, and his anguished sobs did not disturb the sleeping Hinatasou, being absorbed and lost in the thick material of his futon.

* * *

Riiing, riiing, riiing, rii – SLAM!  
  
"URUSHAIII!"  
  
Urashima Keitaro groaned as he lifted his face out of his pillow. He had forgotten to remove his glasses that night before he drifted off into sleep. His face ached from the pressure of having his pillow and glasses pressed into his face the whole night long.  
  
Sitting up and groaning again, he removed his glasses and massaged his smarting face. He glanced at the digital display of his alarm clock (the same one he had just cracked on the skull and given a not-so-cheerful good morning). It read 5:00 am.  
  
_Early enough_, he thought sadly. He had planned this since the last afternoon. He slowly stood and stretched his stiffened back, shivering with relief as he relaxed.  
  
_At least sleep made me feel better about this._ Keitaro slowly rolled up his futon and made to put it away. He stopped suddenly when he saw the familiar green page fall out of his rolled futon. He picked it up. He held it before his eyes for a long time before sighing and shaking his head. He picked up his album and slowly slid the page back into it old place within the pages.  
  
_How could I have been so blind?  
  
I was a fool to think that she would ever care...no, NO! I mustn't think about it!_  
  
The young man sighed again sadly before taking out his work clothes for the cleaning. This was going to be a long day, no doubt about it, but at least he wouldn't have to see her or any of them...if none of them woke up early.  
  
Finally, he donned the work clothes and went to pick up the tools. Keitaro maintained an effort to keep his face impassive and his heart made of stone, but he still knew it would only be a matter of time before he had to face...his grief.  
  
All the same, if there had been anyone else, they might have noticed the single rogue tear that trickled from his right eye.

* * *

The late morning sun gleamed in the sky as Narusegawa Naru descended the stairs of the Hinatasou, heading for the kitchen. It was a Sunday morning, and everyone, even Motoko, had been having a lazy lie-in, or so she thought...  
  
She reached the kitchen, seeing Shinobu standing at the table, giving out food happily as always. Motoko was already sitting there, halfway through her breakfast. But Su and Sara were not there yet. Naru supposed they must still be asleep. Kitsune...she grinned. Kitsune was probably lying in her room growing old with a bad hangover. Naru sighed as she sat at the table in her usual place. She was absolutely starving after what had happened the day before...  
  
Naru shook her head in the attempt to clear it out of the memory. She didn't want to deal with it now.  
  
"Ohayoo, Shinobu-chan! Did you sleep well?"  
  
Shinobu looked up at her and smiled. "Yes, I did, Naru-sempai. You seem to be very cheerful."  
  
Naru smiled back. "Just happy I was able to stop studying for a while, I suppose." Then she sensed immediately that she had said the wrong thing.  
  
Shinobu gazed for a second at Naru, and then her eyes slowly started brimming with tears. She quickly put down Naru's plate in front of her and turned away, going back to the cooking. Motoko looked up for a moment and stared at Naru. Then she slowly spoke.  
  
"I – I don't doubt that you did the right thing last night, Naru-sempai. But to simply leave with...Oh, never mind. It's not my business anyway."  
  
Naru passed the hand in front of her eyes in a gesture of tiredness, even though she was not tired at all. Her own nagging guilt persisted, no matter how hard she tried to quash it. He had looked so destroyed as she had...  
  
No! Naru shook herself mentally. I will not think about it!  
  
She could hear the crashing, shouting and stamping sounds that announced the arrival of the two young resident blondes at Hinatasou and hitched her smile back on her face. Su and Sara came bursting through the door, grabbing at each other and wrestling to get to the food first.  
  
"That banana cream is mine!" Su shouted as she vaulted off Sara's shoulders and landed neatly in her chair. She grabbed her plate and immediately began wolfing down everything in sight, making contented noises in the back of her throat. Grumbling, Sara pulled herself off the floor and sat in the seat next to her, spooning herself food.  
  
Naru laughed at the pair of them, and even Motoko cracked into a slight smile at the sight of the girls. Shinobu smiled shyly before wiping her eyes and coming back to the table with another platter of rice.  
  
Suddenly, she stopped short.  
  
"Wh-where's Urashima-sempai?"  
  
There was a moment of silence. Then Naru immediately waved her hands consolingly at her.  
  
"Don't worry about him, Shinobu-chan. He must still be in his room. He probably decided to take a nap after he finished cleaning or something."  
  
Motoko, however, turned slightly in her chair and pointed to a notice sticking to the refrigerator. Shinobu walked over to it and took it off the fridge. She read it slowly, with a worried expression on her face. She then looked up.  
  
"It's from Urashima-sempai. He says not to wait for him at breakfast or dinner. He says that he's going to be out for the day."  
  
"OUT?!" Naru fumed. "We need a kanrinrin here during the day. What's he think-"  
  
Naru stopped speaking. Everyone at the table was staring at her.  
  
Naru groaned under her breath. Actually, maybe I do know what he's thinking.

* * *

Motoko ate the rest of her meal quickly and left to begin her practice on the roof. She was glad to be away from yesterday's incident. She remembered how angry and upset Urashima had been after it had happened.  
  
The morning sun shone down hotly, and the wind sent a warm breeze floating through her gi as she practiced. Her beloved sword wove and elaborate pattern through the air as her feet danced perfectly upon the boards in the formation of the crane. The movement was made to calm the mind and strengthen the spirit.  
  
But the memory came to her of the look in Urashima's eyes: the feeling of pain, the anger of betrayal, and the deepest sadness. He looked like he wanted to kill himself, and then like he wanted to kill Naru-sempai, and then like he wanted to just run and smash anything out of his way.  
  
Motoko lost the rhythm. Her kick went an inch too far and she lost her balance. She jumped off her other leg to regain her footing, landing in a somewhat lavish, but painless crouch.  
  
_Naru-sempai! How could you do that to Ura...no! How could you do a thing like that right in front of Su, Kitsune, Shinobu, and I? It is just so unlike you!_  
  
Motoko stood again, gazing out over the forest beyond the Hinatasou. Her memory came back of that moment.  
  
She and the other girls had left the Hinatasou for school that day in the late afternoon. Kitsune was also going to see some clients for interviews. They were all going out, except for Urashima and Naru. The two of them were staying behind to study. They had not been studying together much in recent days, because Naru seemed to be going out quite often. Urashima was always wondering why she was always heading out on her own.  
  
But it turned out later that Urashima had asked Naru to come out and eat with him at a new restaurant downtown after they finished studying. As seemed to be their problem with 'dating', Urashima and Naru ran into them on the way back.  
  
Maybe Urashima had done something perverted again. Naru's mouth was clenched with anger.  
  
Before she could make any excuse though, her eyes had suddenly gone wide and she had run past them.  
  
There was a young man down the street, a handsome, dark-haired man that Naru seemed to know.  
  
Maybe 'know' was an understatement.  
  
She had thrown her arms around him, laughing joyfully, and was talking very, very fast. The stranger had responded in kind, grinning down at Naru...and before anyone could pick up their jaws off the ground, they had left, arms around each other, walking down the street. The part which had all of them into immobility however, was what Naru did before they disappeared. She had planted a lingering kiss on his cheek...  
  
Motoko was completely speechless. She had never seen Naru act that way before. She had looked absolutely smitten by the stranger. She looked around and saw that she wasn't the only one who was surprised.  
  
Kitsune's fox eyes were staring, her mouth wide open, at the corner where they had disappeared. Usually, Su would open her mouth to stuff it full of food, but now she too was open-mouthed, and there was no food anywhere around. Shinobu however, immediately shut her own mouth and twisted around to look at Urashima.  
  
Motoko followed Shinobu's gaze, and as much as she told herself Urashima was not worth any worry, she could not help herself from feeling a stab of pity at the completely crushed, heartbroken expression on his face.  
  
After that, they had all gone back to the Hinatasou. No-one was talking too much, they were all still too surprised. Urashima trailed along behind them, his head down, staring at the ground as he walked. Motoko, in spite of herself, turned to look at him as he followed. He wasn't saying a word, and he wasn't looking up at all. Somehow, Motoko got the feeling that even though he too was surprised, Urashima probably knew more than they did.  
  
As soon as they had gone back up the steps to Hinatasou and gone through the front door, Urashima had immediately gone up the stairs and shut himself in his room without speaking to anyone. He did not come down at all that evening, not even when Shinobu called up to his room that dinner was being served.  
  
During dinner, everyone else looked worried and Motoko tried not to. She still denied herself any feeling to worry about Urashima, but still it struck her how unlike Naru it was to simply run off to someone she knew and leave him standing there.  
  
Naru had returned later that evening with a dreamy, happy expression. The others had immediately surrounded her, wanting to know who the stranger was, and what had happened. Naru had said the man was a classmate she had met at the prep school who had entered Toudai the year before her and Urashima...  
  
She stopped speaking at that point. Her face suddenly fell and her eyes widened as she realized what she had done. She had then rushed up the stairs. Su and Sara tried to follow her, but Motoko grabbed them so they didn't invade their...Naru's privacy.  
  
They all heard the sound of her hammering on a door upstairs, and then running footsteps up another flight of stairs, and then, a few minutes later, the unmistakable crunch and scream of a Naru-punch hitting its usual target and sending him spiraling over the city.  
  
After that, Motoko had not seen either of them again that night.  
  
Motoko's eyes unglazed and she shook her head to clear it. She hefted her sword again and resumed her formation movement.  
  
_I don't know what happened, but I'm sure Naru-sempai had a good reason. It's just so unlike her_ she thought. _Urashima must have taken it so badly. No, not badly...stupidly. I only hope Naru-sempai can beat some sense into him about this. I really wouldn't blame anyone who ditched that vile, lecherous, perverted male.  
_  
But as Motoko tried to think the vehement way she wanted, her heart beckoned in the other direction. She simply could not forget the look on Urashima's face...

* * *

Keitaro sat on the floor, slowly and quietly munching his watermelon slice and not looking up.  
  
Otohime Mutsumi sat also beside him, an unusually grave expression on her face.  
  
_How could she?_ Mutsumi thought, her deep brown eyes hardening. _How could she do such a thing to Urashima-kun?_  
  
_Just to ditch him like that! No explanation. No goodbye. Not a single word or glance at him. And then to just...  
_  
Mutsumi looked up again, her heart shaking with pity for the man sitting beside her. Kei-kun had just finished explaining all that had happened to him the day before to her.  
  
He had shown up at her door a few hours before when Mutsumi had only just awoken. Mutsumi had clapped her hands in delight. It had been so long since he had visited her.  
  
Then again, she supposed she couldn't blame him. The last time he had visited her alone, he had accidentally tripped on the step and crashed headfirst into her, at the same time she conveniently fainted. They had ended up sprawled together on the floor, their faces red and very close together at the same time that Naru had suddenly entered, following him as usual whenever he visited Mutsumi.  
  
Mutsumi shook her head to banish that thought. It had been a long time after that incident since her Kei-kun had come to visit her. Then he had suddenly shown up with an expression on his face that made Mutsumi's eyes widen and her smile slip from her face.  
  
She had known at once that something was wrong.  
  
Mutsumi slowly reached out and touched her heartbroken friend on the shoulder. As if that one tender, loving touch had set off the waterworks, Keitaro looked up, his eyes misting over. Suddenly he flung himself upon Mutsumi, howling loud enough to wake the dead.  
  
"Why?!" Keitaro cried loudly, as Mutsumi held him gently.  
  
"Kei-kun, there's nothing you could have done." she said solemnly. "If what Naru-san said is true, then there's no way you could have known or done anything about it."  
  
Keitaro looked up slowly at Mutsumi from her shoulder.  
  
"I know you're right, Mutsumi-san." He sobbed, his eyes sad and teary. "But I just can't help but feel that if I hadn't made that mistake, things might've been different."  
  
"No. If Naru-san had been seeing him long before you had that problem, then there's no difference. It would have happened."  
  
Mutsumi sighed to herself. Keitaro was referring to his little accident earlier the previous evening with Naru. As was so often his curse, Keitaro had pulled a 'perverted' accident when he tripped...right in front of a crowd. He was immediately shouted on and arrested before he could even explain what happened and how he happened to be holding a pair of pink panties in his hand...and that was even before Naru could get him with a Naru- punch. But things like that happened all the time...and it never would've made her run off with some stranger. But why? There was a piece missing somewhere...  
  
Mutsumi gently lifted her childhood friend's face to hers.  
  
"Ara...Kei-kun..." she said "Tell me again what Naru-san said."  
  
Keitaro sighed deeply, apparently cried out.  
  
He slowly began to speak again, every word burning his heart.

* * *

"Keitaro! Keitaro! Open the door!" Naru hammered on his shoji door. Keitaro had secured it in place, and she could not slide it open. He didn't want to speak with anyone, least of all her.  
  
He didn't say a word, and his eyes never lingered from that spot in his book. He just stared straight at it, trying so hard to keep his emotions under control. He had been putting up with this for so long. Maybe it was time to draw the line and harden his attitude towards this one-sided game of love. Yet as much as Keitaro told himself it would be wise to do just that, his wretched heart urged him in the other direction.  
  
He had been in his room all that time. Ever since he had come back, he had simply shut himself in his room. He had waited for the sense of loss, the despair and tears to come, but he felt nothing for a long time, and when it finally came, it was the cruel jab of anger he instead felt.  
  
_She did all that, just because of one stupid little accident?! No! She wouldn't do that...that's not Narusegawa. But to just leave me, and run off making lovey-dovey with someone she's never told anything about to me or the others! Just acting like we don't exist and running off with some pretty boy?! What the heck is going on?!  
_  
_Well, you'll have to wait for another time, Narusegawa. Oh, we'll speak soon enough, but now...I feel this way. And now, I'm surprised I never felt this way before. Maybe this incident was a good thing. Now I know exactly how much I mean to you...  
_  
_No!_ Keitaro shook his head again._ I mustn't think like that. She probably didn't mean anything like that at all. I should open the...oh, no need now.  
_  
He heard the beat of feet against his ceiling, and he looked up to see Liddo-kun's cover slide away. Naru popped her head down through the hole and glared at her kanrinrin.  
  
"Why didn't you open that door, Keitaro?"  
  
He stood up and stared right back at her. His response was cold.  
  
"I think you know, Narusegawa."  
  
She stared at him for a long moment, before she lowered herself down through the hole and stood before him, a slightly guilty expression on her face.  
  
She didn't say anything for a moment, the muscles rippling in her jaw as though struggling to control her anger at him for locking her out. Keitaro did not look away. He stared straight at Naru, holding her gaze.  
  
Naru finally looked down. "May I sit down?" she asked in a quiet voice, as though she felt uncomfortable.  
  
Keitaro nodded and Naru sat cross-legged on the floor, but Keitaro did not move. Silence for a few moments.  
  
"I owe you an apology." Naru said quietly. "That was really rude of me, to run off like that. I'm sorry, Keitaro. Can you forgive me?" Keitaro sat down heavily and stared at the ground for a moment. Then he looked up again.  
  
"Narusegawa, can I ask you a question?"  
  
She looked taken aback by his reply. She expected, Keitaro knew, for him to immediately wave his arms, smile, and forgive her in so many words.  
  
"Keitaro-...alright."  
  
"Who was that guy?"  
  
Naru blinked. "Him? He's a friend of mine. Don't you remember, Keitaro? He was at Sasaki Seminar the other year. Kouji. The guy with the skateboard."  
  
A face sprung into Keitaro's mind. He had been too far away to see the face clearly when Naru had met him. The dark-haired, green-eyed, tough- talking skater. Kondo Kouji. Keitaro remembered that Kouji had left the seminar shortly after he had joined, apparently accepting a scholarship offer from another foreign university and going overseas.  
  
Keitaro nodded. "I remember him. But you haven't seen him for over a year now, Narusegawa. Why did you just go to him like that?"  
  
Naru shook her head. "He's been back here in Japan for months now. He gave up on the overseas study and came back to return to the seminar. I met him by chance the other day when I went back to the seminar to check my notes, Keitaro. We started talking. He looked happy to be back, and then..."  
  
She paused, looking up at Keitaro's face, which was wearing an expression like 'go on, explain yourself!'  
  
"...er, what does it matter?" she said, looking down again. "We just met again and I...because it was only...like...so long since I had a social...um, I mean...well, lets just drop it, okay? I just kind of forgot where I was and who I was with...um..."  
  
She looked up again. There was no leverage in Keitaro's expression. He still looked upset...and disappointed.  
  
Naru looked suddenly like she thought Keitaro was overdoing it. "What? What are you looking at me like that for, Keitaro? I met an old friend, and we went off. I mean, what would you have had me do? Pretend he wasn't there!? Fix your face!"  
  
Naru looked angry now. Keitaro's frown had been deepening the whole time.  
  
"Narusegawa...you just ran off just like that! When we were on a date! You didn't say a word to me or anyone else, or tell me where you were going. What's more, you had us all worried staying out there like that until this late! Just where were you anyway?"  
  
She clenched her teeth. "That wasn't a date, Keitaro! We were just going to eat out again, like last time. And as to where I went with him...well, no place you'd know. It was just this nice restaurant in town where we went before for..."  
  
Too late, Naru realized her error. She froze and clapped her hand over her mouth. But Keitaro had seen it, and he immediately jumped on her fault.  
  
"What do you mean before?! Narusegawa, was that really just the first time you went off with him? Did you really meet him just the other day? When have you seen him before?" Keitaro spat out each question. Naru was lying to him. What the heck was going on? He never thought she would have done something so blatantly inconsiderate, and malicious, as to just run off with this Kouji, even if he was a friend she had missed.  
  
Naru looked up at him again, all traces of apologetic sheepishness gone. Now she looked angry. "None of your business, Keitaro! I met him, and we've met up a couple of times, that's all! Just what is your problem anyway?"  
  
Somehow, Keitaro found he wanted to laugh. He never thought he'd have laughed at Narusegawa, not even that time when she slipped on Su's banana peel and crashed into the dessert bowl and the other Hinata girls laughed themselves silly. Keitaro had instead tried to help her up and give her a few tissues (slipping himself and falling on top of her and accidentally pulling down her skirt in the process). But this time, he felt that Naru's feigned innocence about his 'problem' was simply too childish to let it slip.  
  
"Narusegawa, if I was out with you for dinner like we were today, and I suddenly ran off without a word to a girl I never said anything about to you, and walked off with my arm around her...and kissing her... without even looking at you, how would you feel?"  
  
His matter-of-fact tone had hit the nerve, and Keitaro saw Naru couldn't deny to herself what she'd done now. But still, she was going to be pig- headed about this, he could see, from the expression on her face when she looked up.  
  
"I wouldn't care! Quite frankly, I'd probably be glad to be rid of your company, with what you did to me earlier. That was disgusting, Keitaro...and embarrassing! Yeah, maybe I'm glad I left with Kouji. You deserved that after how you tried to strip me in front of that crowd!"  
  
Keitaro's brain hit the deadly silent mode. What was she accusing him of? How many times had he tried to say that was an accident? Naru knew that, he felt. She knew it was an accident, and just how clumsy he could be.  
  
His thoughts must've showed on his face, because Naru leapt to her feet and glared at him.  
  
"Don't look at me like that! I met a friend and I left with him, there's nothing wrong with that. Why are you even making it out this way? I had no obligation to stay with you, Keitaro! I already said it wasn't a date. So if that's what you're mad about..."  
  
She stopped speaking. Keitaro felt, and looked, like he was about to explode. This much consideration or apology was all she was willing to give?!  
  
"Why are YOU trying to make it out this way, Narusegawa?! You know you're not talking sense! ANYONE would feel upset if you just left them and walked off kissing-all lovey-dovey with this mystery guy you never said anything about! And what's more you know that what I did was an accident! Stop trying to justify yourself, Narusegawa. I'd be happy if you'd just apologize, you know!"  
  
Naru looked stunned. Keitaro had never shouted at her like that before. The expression on her face smacked Keitaro's eyes and brought him back. He deflated like an air balloon, and gazed, feeling ashamed, at Naru.  
  
I went too far he thought. "Um, Narusegawa, look, I...I..."  
  
That was as far as he got. He could see the tears forming in Naru's eyes before she snapped them tightly shut. Her face contorted grotesquely then, with the vein popping out on her forehead.  
  
Keitaro knew immediately what was coming and took a step back, too late.  
  
Naru raised a shaking fist and drew back, opening her eyes briefly to give Keitaro a brief glimpse of the silvery tears streaming down her eyelashes before it came.  
  
"BAKA!"  
  
Keitaro saw a flash of colour behind his tightly shut eyelids and felt himself being lifted off his feet, his jawbone reeling from the contact. Then there was the familiar slamming sensation and the shattering of the wall behind him.  
  
He saw the stars twisting in a kaleidoscope above him as he spiraled over Hinata. He chanced a glance down and recoiled. _Man, I've got a long walk back ahead of me.  
_  
_Okay he thought, now I can do it._  
  
He waited for the tears of sadness to come as he sailed through the air. Naru did care, he knew that, no matter how much she tried to hide it, but now he could see she did not care enough. He would always be the one to give and never to receive in their relationship. She had shown more to another she barely knew - no, worse, pretended to barely know – than she had ever shown to him. He waited for the tears to come, but surprisingly, as he expected the dam to break...he felt nothing.  
  
Then he did feel something.  
  
He crashed noisily into the branches of a tree, half-uprooting it at the base of its trunk, and slowly slid down to fall out of the branches. The rocky ground rushed up at him, and everything went black.

* * *

Author: That's it for now. Review please. Jim'Van 


	2. The Deep Hurt Within

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. They are the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and company. Are you still reading this?  
  
Author: Hey there, back again. Returned to update before readers lose interest (not too late, am I?) Anyways, thanks a lot for the great reviews. I've gotten a couple of questions about pairings, and I hate to disappoint you all but even the options will have to wait until I open up the plot a bit more. For now, let me just say that not only the Hina girls will be on the list. As to the timing of this fic...well, I'm still not very familiar with the manga timeline yet, but on the anime storyboard it would be shortly after the return of the Hinata group from the seaside teahouse and the return of Mutsumi, like before the Christmas Special.  
  
Okay, so now that's cleaned up...on with the story.

* * *

Love Hina: The Exiles  
  
Chapter 2: The Deep Hurt Within  
  
Keitaro finally looked up again.  
  
"That's all I can remember. When I looked around again, I was back in my room in Hinatasou..." he paused and pulled a picture album from his bag, "...with this in my hand."  
  
He sighed and stared down at the cover with sad eyes. "I guess my feet just sort of took me back on their own. I was thinking about her all last night. To think I thought she might've-"  
  
Mutsumi watched quietly as his shoulders slumped even further.  
  
"Why did I ever bother, Mutsumi-san? I should've realized it was hopeless from the start. She thinks I'm the problem. I know that now. All this time, all I've been doing is upsetting her."  
  
Mutsumi glanced slightly out the window. The sun was dimming behind the clouds, and a steely-grey early evening light flooded into her apartment. Slowly, she turned her gaze back to Keitaro. His tears were gone. He was beyond that level now. His pain was in the breathing in his throat and the stare of his eyes.  
  
She could see anger. But the anger was not against Naru...not anymore. Keitaro was angry with himself. Mutsumi knew that Keitaro had always gotten the short end of the stick in life, and moreover, he would blame himself in the end even if he didn't have to. Ever since Mutsumi had set eyes on the young ronin, she had been taken with that sweet desire to only do what was right...and the unusual result of him causing a hundred accidents on the way. She pretended to people who asked that she had no idea why she was in love with him, but in truth, she had a very clear idea indeed.  
  
Yet Mutsumi knew that Keitaro's feelings for her, while strong, were not as strong as his feelings for Naru, nor were they the same kind of feelings. The difference was that while he liked Mutsumi a lot, he would not always try to push that extra little inch like he did with Naru.  
  
That thought suddenly made Mutsumi aware of her position. Suddenly, she for once felt quite embarrassed to hear Keitaro gushing out his heart to her like this.  
  
Her usual ditzy expression was hitched back on her face as she smiled.  
  
"Ara, ara, Kei-kun...I don't really think I am the one you want to speak with about this...really."  
  
Keitaro looked at her again, and the expression on his face once again melted away Mutsumi's 'space cadet' façade. He looked disappointed...betrayed....  
  
She crawled to him and held him again in her arms, blushing lightly as Keitaro responded in kind, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face into her shoulder.  
  
Both pairs of eyes darted around for a moment, expecting to see a red-aura scare-girl or a sword-toting samurai chick come crashing through the door or the wall to send Keitaro flying at that scene. However, after about half a minute with no incident, they both relaxed a little, and Mutsumi spoke again.  
  
"Don't blame yourself, Kei-kun. She did this...not you."  
  
Keitaro held her gaze for a moment before slowly looking down and nodding slightly, but he still looked unconvinced, so Mutsumi kept speaking, trying desperately to get him to agree.  
  
"You did everything you could have done for her, and I believe you still would even now. That's probably just what's best about you, Kei-kun." Mutsumi's eyes brimmed slightly with tears of her own.  
  
"It may not be enough for her, but that alone would be enough for...for..."  
  
Mutsumi did not have to finish her sentence for Keitaro to understand her. He had known for a long time, she knew, and the fact that he knew and yet continued in his pursuit of the other one he cared for made Mutsumi both happy and sad.  
  
He looked up at her slowly, and two pairs of brown eyes met. He reached for her hand and gave it a soft squeeze.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mutsumi-san."  
  
Those simple, soft words made her almost want to cry out. She knew what his reply would be before she asked, but she decided to say it to him anyway.  
  
"Kei-kun, you do not have to go back to them, you know...you could just stay here...with..."  
  
He squeezed her hand again and quietly shook his head.  
  
"It wouldn't work, Mutsumi-san. I'd just cause trouble for you, and Hinatasou...I suppose that I just couldn't leave it now even if I tried. The girls need me there...and Narusegawa...I just can't turn away...at least not yet."  
  
A stab of frustration passed through Mutsumi. Even in spite of all that they had done, Keitaro still cared enough for the Hina girls to return to them with more heartbreak and pain practically guaranteed in doing so.  
  
_Why can't I get that_, she thought. _Why?_  
  
"Kei-kun...do you plan to make me wait forever?"  
  
Keitaro blinked and slowly lowered his gaze, as though what Mutsumi had just said struck a cord he never realized was there.  
  
"Kei-kun...I'm sorry, but I think...I need to be alone for a while."  
  
Keitaro's head snapped back up again and he stared in surprise. Mutsumi looked at him a little sadly.  
  
"I wish I could help you more...but...if I have to be without you, I need to find a new way to live in the meantime. I cannot go through every day wishing for something that will never come. I think...I need a new focus in my life, Kei-kun, other than you now. So please...I need to be alone for a while to find that."  
  
Keitaro suddenly stood up. His face was expressionless, and he stared right ahead, looking as though he was seeing nothing. Mutsumi's stomach lurched as she saw the empty look in his face.  
  
_No!_ she thought._ I shouldn't have said it like that.  
_  
Keitaro started and stumbled towards the door, grabbing his bag by the strap with one hand and still holding the picture album in the other. He did not once look back as he reached for the doorknob.  
  
"Kei-kun!" Mutsumi shouted as she stood.  
  
She took two steps and then stopped.  
  
_Even if I stop him, then what?_  
  
"Kei-kun!" she called again as he stepped out the open doorway. "I won't be long! I'll come to see you after..."  
  
He stopped and turned. His expression was sad as he spoke hollowly in a voice that nearly made Mutsumi cry.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Mutsumi-san, that I caused so much trouble for you."  
  
Mutsumi started forward again. "No, that's not it!"  
  
But Keitaro was gone, and Mutsumi was left staring at the empty doorway and the starry night sky beyond.

* * *

Keitaro walked slowly up the stairs to the Hinatasou, staring at the ground and seeing nothing as the wind billowed out his jacket around him and whipped his too-long bangs away from his face as the tree branches swayed, rustling their leaves, above him. Had that anyone had seen him at that moment, they would have beheld a weary, tired young man with premature lines around his eyes and a sad slump in his shoulders. His eyes missed their usual gleam and had become dull and uninterested.  
  
_Why did I ever trust either of them? Now Mutsumi-san too. She wants to be away from me. I had imagined this kind of thing happening with Narusegawa, but with Mutsumi-san...  
  
Why am I trying for Toudai for a third time? What good would it do? Even if I ever did meet the girl from my memories, she'd probably just want to get away from me as well. Nearly all the girls I've ever met just want to get away from me. What about the others? I just cause trouble for all of them. Motoko-chan hates me. Kitsune-san sees me as an easy source of cash and booze, and otherwise acts like I'm not there. Su-chan only sees me as a wrestling partner and a test subject. Sara-chan just looks at me like a punching bag. Shinobu-chan...  
  
_Shinobu...she was always an angel to anyone who crossed her path, but deep down Keitaro felt that he was wrong to have anything to do with her. She was many years younger than him, and Keitaro hated himself whenever he saw her doing the laundry work or cooking for him. To have to inconvenience such a small girl with his work made him resent himself.  
  
_Shinobu-chan deserves to not have me around_, Keitaro thought glumly.  
  
_What do I have now? I shouldn't be at Hinatasou anyway, since I'm just everyone's problem. I couldn't go home now even if I wanted to. I'll probably never get into Toudai at all...  
_  
"Oh, cut it out!" Keitaro shouted aloud, smacking his palm repeatedly into his forehead.  
  
Keitaro knew, that in spite of all that had just happened in the last couple of days, and just how simple and lifeless his hopes had become, he could not follow through on any dark inclination he may have had...for revenge, for estrangement, for disappearance. It just wasn't him...  
  
He did not doubt himself that the very next day he'd be shamming cheerfulness as much as ever, and still mooning over Naru, unable to hold her actions against her any longer. He hated himself for the fact that his nature was simply too soft to go all cold on Naru or the others, or to turn away and seek his own fortune elsewhere...  
  
And now that softness had lost him Mutsumi...  
  
_Ironic, isn't it?_ He thought to himself with a quiet, hollow chuckle. _How trying to be a nice guy to the point of near-fatal naivete (and near-fatal is right considering how many Shinmeiiryu techniques and Naru-punches I've taken) has lost me the only really nice lady-friend I've ever had now.  
_  
"Ack!" Keitaro slammed right into something, derailing his train of thought and unglazing his eyes.  
  
"Watch where you're going, buddy!" said an unfamiliar strange-sounding voice.  
  
Keitaro readjusted his glasses on his nose and stared ahead, seeing that the thing he bumped into was in fact a person. At first the dark clouds in the night sky hid the figure from sight, but Keitaro squinted and, slowly, almost ominously, the moonlight escaped through the clouds and shined down upon the stairs.  
  
The person facing him was a boy, Keitaro guessed around fifteen or sixteen years old, though he stood at equal height with him.  
  
The boy stared straight at Keitaro with curious eyes, unflinching and grave- faced. It may have been a trick of the light, but for a half-second, Keitaro thought he saw a weird gleam in the boy's eyes. But then something else struck Keitaro.  
  
His features were not Japanese. He was a gaijin. A westerner by the look of him.  
  
_A foreign boy alone here at this time of night in Hinata?_ Keitaro thought.  
  
**"Ah...excuse me...I'm sorry..."** Keitaro said in halting English. Keitaro wanted to say more, to ask the boy why he was out at night alone, but he simply could not remember the words. Seeing a gaijin was uncommon enough in Hinata (besides Su and Sara of course), but this boy was probably lost from a tour group or something.  
  
The boy's eyes narrowed slightly. "That is not necessary. I speak your language." He said in somewhat accented, yet still intelligible Japanese. Keitaro jumped.  
  
"That's good for me." He said in growing puzzlement. "I don't speak English very well."  
  
"I noticed that." The boy replied, smirking slightly. "Just watch where you're going. Sorry if I startled you." He made to walk past Keitaro, but Keitaro felt he should help this young gaijin.  
  
"Are you lost?" Keitaro asked him. "I can show you the way back if you like."  
  
The boy halted and turned, flicking what looked like a ponytail out of the way. He smiled slightly at Keitaro. "Whatever gives you that idea? I know where I am, thanks. I was just heading back home after checking out the building up there...you know, the girls dorm, the Hinatasou."  
  
Keitaro stared. So he had just seen Hinatasou, and he was heading back to town?  
  
"At this time of night?" Keitaro said "Surely you could've come earlier if you live that close to us."  
  
The boy's eyes widened slightly. "What? You mean you live up there? I thought it was a girls dorm."  
  
"It is...but...well, I'm the kanrinrin." Keitaro said lamely.  
  
"A guy? The kanrinrin of a girls dormitory?" He threw back his head and laughed heartily. As he did that, Keitaro could have sworn he heard some kind of vibrant echo in his voice.  
  
"Sorry, excuse me for laughing." the boy said, stopping his laughter very suddenly as if he realized suddenly that it was something he shouldn't do. "And to answer your question, I came here at night to look around because I didn't want a crowd of curious locals following me. I know it's rare to see someone like me around here and I don't actually live close by. Well, well, the male kanrinrin of Hinatasou, eh? Well then, maybe you can help me with my article then."  
  
"Article?"  
  
"Yes. I'm actually supposed to be writing an article about this city and its landmarks, but...hmm, well, I imagine I can explain all that to you later. Do you mind if I come and see you tomorrow for an interview at Hinatasou?"  
  
Keitaro was a bit taken aback by the directness in the young foreigner's speech and demeanour, but before he could think, his mouth kicked in as usual.  
  
"Sure."  
  
The boy smiled again. "Great. Then maybe I'll come by tomorrow evening if you have time?"  
  
Keitaro nodded slowly. His brain had time to catch up and he figured that he could spare time to help this young gaijin. With all the trouble with Naru and the others, it would probably be a welcome break if he spent an hour or two talking with someone completely separate from them.  
  
The boy bowed slightly in thanks and turned again. He began to walk away down the steps. Keitaro stood watching him silently, until he realized that he should probably have given the boy directions to the train station or wherever he wanted to go. Keitaro ran down the steps to catch up to him. The boy, without seeming to notice the pursuing Keitaro, turned and disappeared up a nearby alley.  
  
Keitaro ran faster to catch up to him, but when he reached the alley...  
  
He stopped dead and looked around in all directions.  
  
The young gaijin was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Naru heard the sound of steps down in the hall, and she slowly turned away from the balcony and walked down the stairs.  
  
It was long past sunset, and Keitaro had been gone all day. The others had gone to bed. Ever since breakfast, Naru had to look around everywhere to see worried faces and confusion at his long absence. They were all also clearly thinking about the incident with Kouji the previous day...Naru could see it from their faces whenever she spoke.  
  
But once they realized Naru was watching, masks were pulled up on their faces before they looked away. Naru had repeatedly insisted that morning that Keitaro was fine and not to worry about him, that he was an adult and could take care of himself, but it made no improvement.  
  
Motoko had simply looked overly thoughtful, but she refused to even acknowledge it whenever someone had mentioned Keitaro that day, as if she was (unsuccessfully) trying to hide her concern.  
  
Kitsune had not drunk a drop all day...though not from lack of trying. Naru had spied Kitsune sitting in front of a couple of bottles of sake, and raising them to her lips several times, but each time shaking her head slightly and putting the bottle back down before she even took a sip. Kitsune's voice just seemed a touch more calm than usual when she spoke to Naru, and for her, that was more unnerving than relieving to Naru.  
  
Su and Sara, of course, were no more unusual than before. Although Su seemed to be fascinated by the scene with Keitaro and Kouji, she had immediately shrugged it off, along with Keitaro's absence, and immediately run off to her bananas and inventions, with Sara close behind. Naru hadn't doubted that would be the case with the crazy duo, who never seemed fazed by anything.  
  
But worst of all had been Shinobu. She had looked down at the floor for long periods that day when she thought no-one was watching, a perplexed look on her face, and she had averted her eyes and frowned slightly when Naru had mentioned Keitaro, and whenever they looked at each other, Naru thought she saw the accusation in Shinobu's eyes.  
  
Everyone was uncomfortable with their kanrinrin's behavior and Naru's explanations, and to put it bluntly, it made Naru angry that Keitaro had pulled such a scene and made everyone suspicious of her.  
  
_That stupid perverted jerk! Didn't he realize what was going to happen if he just ran off like that! All over what happened yesterday! The idiot's probably just seeking sympathy and guilt from me...well, he's got another thing coming! Wait until I get my hands on him!  
_  
She walked halfway down the stairs to look at the main hall. Keitaro had just removed his shoes and was sitting down on the sofa. He looked tired and...when Naru looked closer...sad.  
  
_Where's he been?_  
  
"Baka..." Naru muttered in greeting. Keitaro had caused all of Naru's trouble that day, and she wasn't in a polite mood.  
  
Keitaro slowly looked up and stared at her. His eyes were sad and looked empty. His mouth had a bitter frown attached to it, and his shoulders were slumped down.  
  
"Where have you been all day?" Naru growled, descending the rest of the stairs and glaring at him. "Don't you know that it's your job to be here for the residents? Keitaro, you've got to stop doing things like this."  
  
Keitaro stared right back. His gaze was lifeless, no accusation, no regret, not even anger was present in his eyes. He slowly picked up his back and stood up. "Sorry, Narusegawa." He said simply, and he made to walk around her and go up the stairs.  
  
Naru stepped in front of him, blocking his path.  
  
_What's he doing?! The idiot thinks he can pull a stunt like this and then say 'sorry' and just walk away?! Oh no, Keitaro, you're going to do some explaining, and fast!  
  
_He turned and tried to walk around her, but Naru stepped into his path again. Keitaro stared coldly at her.  
  
"Where have you been?" Naru asked again, clenching her jaw.  
  
"Out."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"In the city."  
  
"I know that baka! I meant whereabouts in the city!"  
  
Keitaro's eyes flashed a moment. Naru thought that, maybe, for a second, she saw something like anguished regret in his eyes. He drew himself up and spoke slowly.  
  
"I'd rather not say, Narusegawa."  
  
"Out with it! If you're going to do something like this, you owe me...us...an explanation!"  
  
Keitaro just stood there and said nothing. After a few seconds of silence, Naru began to feel uneasy.  
  
_He's never held anything like this back from me before. He's always told me what he's done. Just what is going on? Could it be...he's really that upset about Kouji and what happened last night to just...refuse to tell me anything anymore?  
_  
Naru mentally shook her head. Such a thing was usually out of character for him. One thing about Keitaro was that he always made the effort to patch things up...one of the few things Naru felt she could give him credit for. But then again, of course, nothing exactly like this had ever happened before either.  
  
_If you're just fishing for sympathy on my part you're doing a lousy job, Keitaro! You jerk! You deserved every bit of what I gave you last night! In fact, to make my stance on this clear to you this time...  
_  
"You made everyone avoid me today, you baka! Everyone thought I had made you leave or something! Do you have any idea what that was like?! And all because you expected me to get all worried and sad and come running after you like..."  
  
She stopped. Keitaro had visibly stiffened and was glaring at her now.  
  
"Actually, Narusegawa..." he began, his voice colder than Naru had ever heard it, "Your company was the last thing I wanted today...if you must know. I went out because I needed some time to myself...but apparently even that seems to be too much to ask of you."  
  
Naru felt the blood flow into her face at his last remark.  
  
"You...you don't care about anyone but yourself, Keitaro!" she grated. "Didn't you hear what I just said? The kanrinrin is here during the day. It's your job...and what's more you should've known what the others would think if you did that!"  
  
Keitaro did not reply, he merely straightened and stepped around her. Naru did not stop him this time...she had a better idea...  
  
"You're going to explain to us all tomorrow what happened at breakfast, Keitaro! And you're going to apologize. I'll be there to make sure."  
  
Keitaro didn't turn or answer. He just kept walking up the stairs.  
  
Naru called one last thing after him before he reached the next floor. Something which made the kanrinrin halt in his tracks.  
  
"You'd better not pull anything dramatic and stupid like this next time I meet Kouji, Keitaro..."  
  
Keitaro slowly turned and looked down at Naru. He was a jerk to Naru, but try as she might, Naru could not help but feel a pang of guilt as she saw, briefly, the emptiness in his eyes return before he left as quickly as he could.

* * *

Keitaro slowly slid open the shoji door to his room.  
  
_...next time...next time...  
_  
The echo in Keitaro's mind made him all the more bitter.  
  
He set down his bag on the floor and made to unroll his futon.  
  
_At least things might be better in the morning_, he though sadly. I_ might be able to just leave before the others wake up and go somewhere, maybe to Tokyo...  
  
_Keitaro stopped as he remembered. He couldn't go out for the day tomorrow.  
  
He had promised that boy an interview. The strange foreign boy on the stairs.  
  
Keitaro groaned and sat down.  
  
_This won't be good. Narusegawa is going to try to make some big scene tomorrow with me apologizing at breakfast, followed most likely by everyone's merciless criticism and maybe a Shinmeiiryu technique or two from Motoko-chan in 'punishment'. Oh man...wouldn't it be better if I just spoke up whenever I'm ready?  
_  
_After that, they'll probably all be watching me like hawks for anything I want to do for myself about this darned problem with Narusegawa. Then I'll just have to pretend I'm all happy-go-lucky and all that jazz to get them all of my back. I guess this just isn't going to get any easier. Why can't they all just leave me alone!? They know that I just end up causing trouble for them anyway. They'd all be better off without me...so why do they do this?  
_  
He groaned again, removing his glasses and massaging his temples with his other hand.  
  
_Next time. Next time. Narusegawa is going to see him again...even after all that just happened. Once again, I know now how much I mean to her. She even told me instead of trying to hide it this time. I don't know whether I'm happy or sad that she did that...  
  
I do know I wish that it was not happening at all, Narusegawa. I wish it was me you were planning to date now...instead of this guy Kouji. But that's likely not ever going to happen now...  
_  
A single tear ran down Keitaro's cheek.  
  
(Author: Roll slow, heroic background music and put Keitaro on a white videoset, heh)  
  
_And now I've lost Mutsumi-san as well. Because of my own stupid belief in you, Narusegawa, she wants to be away from me because it hurts her too much. I could be with Mutsumi-san but...it's just not the same feeling that I have for you, Narusegawa...and I don't know if it could ever be. It's only right that I let her go her own way after that...but...why do I have to keep losing those who mean anything to me? I'd be happy if there was just one person who could always be there no matter what...but I don't know if it could ever happen. It wasn't Mutsumi-san, and I can see now that it probably won't ever be you.  
_  
_One thing I do know...if this gets any worse...I may have to leave. I just can't keep on inconveniencing everyone here. And don't anyone else try to deny it. I know as well as you do, Narusegawa, that when I follow my dreams, someone will be hurt...like Mutsumi-san was...  
_  
He shook himself and stopped thinking to Naru. It wasn't like she could hear it.  
  
_But where could I go if that ever happens? I can't go home now. My parents would likely just throw me out again or stop me from trying for Toudai. Who else do I have? My whole life, all I've ever gotten is malice from everyone. Everyone except those few at his strange place in Hinata. I probably never was meant to be Japanese or live life here. I'd say I could hate my whole race, and all of this country for the life they gave me if I hadn't come here to Hinatasou and found a purpose.  
_  
_And now it looks like I'm going to lose that purpose...  
_  
Keitaro's eyes flickered to the bag he left on the floor next to him. The corner of his album poked out of the end. He crawled slowly over to it and took it out.  
  
Keitaro opened it again and took out the torn page with the pictures of him and Naru.  
  
_...next time...next time...next time..._  
  
Keitaro glimpsed the cigarette lighter he had found that morning still lying on his desk. Still holding the page, he took up the lighter again and walked slowly towards the window.  
  
His fingers trembling slightly again, Keitaro slowly slid the window open and held out his hands to the night, the page in his left and the lighter in his right.  
  
_Next time..._Keitaro thought. _Next time...she..._  
  
_Now I can do it._  
  
Keitaro clicked the lighter again. The sparks guttered weakly from the catch and caught fire in the gas. Keitaro held the lighter to the page, his face an impassive mask...  
  
"Sempai..." he heard the timid voice just outside, but he paid no heed to it.  
  
"Sempai?" Shinobu's voice came again as his door slowly slid open. "I heard you come in and I though you might like some cookies...Sempai! What are you doing!?"  
  
There was a clatter as the plate Shinobu had been carrying hit the floor, littering it with iced cookies.  
  
"Stop!" she raced over to Keitaro and jerked the paper out of his hand before it caught.  
  
"Shinobu-chan..." Keitaro shook himself slightly as he looked at her. He let the lighter go out. Shinobu was staring at him with wide, surprised eyes. Keitaro smiled weakly as he realized what he was doing.  
  
"You're right, Shinobu-chan. It's dangerous to do that. I'll just throw it in the bin instead."  
  
He stretched out his hand for the page, but Shinobu kept staring at him and did not give it back. She looked slowly down at the pictures, and then back up to Keitaro with her eyes starting to brim with tears.  
  
"Sempai...it can't be that bad, can it?" she asked in a weak, trembling voice.  
  
Keitaro looked down, ashamed of himself for upsetting Shinobu. Sweet little Shinobu-chan who everyone loved, and he did not deserve.  
  
"It's not just that, Shinobu-chan." He said, remembering that she knew all about the 'incident'.  
  
"I...I'm starting to feel that maybe I don't...shouldn't have any place in her life anymore, or anyone's life here in Hinatasou...not just for their good...but...for mine too..." he trailed off as he saw wide realization come into Shinobu's deep blue eyes.  
  
"Maybe, I should burn myself off, or maybe I should burn her off...maybe both. I deserve...and maybe I want...to be burned out of everyone's life here now, Shinobu-chan. You all deserve better than me...and...now, I just feel that this might be all wrong...not the way things are meant to be..."  
  
It felt good, Keitaro thought, to pour out his heart to Shinobu. He liked Shinobu, and felt that of any of the Hinatasou residents, Shinobu was definitely the most trustworthy.  
  
_No!_  
  
Keitaro stumbled in his thought.  
  
_I'm making her worried. I'm just causing more trouble for her!_  
  
Keitaro immediately put on a goofy grin and rubbed the back of his head with one hand.  
  
"Ha ha ha! What am I saying? Sorry, Shinobu-chan, I guess I'm just tired. Here, I'll put them away." He took the page from the frozen Shinobu and put it quickly on his desk with album.  
  
"Oh no, Shinobu-chan! Your cookies! Here I'll get them for you!"  
  
He scurried about in the stupidest way he could ham up to pick up Shinobu's spilt cookies and put them back on the plate. He picked up the plate and took a bite of one of the cookies.  
  
"Mmm, these are good, Shinobu-chan."  
  
He turned around and looked at her. Shinobu was looking at him quietly. Her eyes were watery with unshed tears and shone like sapphires as she slowly spoke.  
  
"Sempai..." the husky whisper in the voice like a light breeze smacked Keitaro into realization.  
  
He was licked. His acting hadn't fooled her.  
  
He slowly sighed and his shoulders slumped again. He put down the plate on his desk and looked at Shinobu.  
  
"Sempai...what do you mean? Don't you want to be with us?"  
  
Keitaro groaned and buried his face into his hands.  
  
"I want to be with you, Shinobu-chan. I want you to understand that. I want to be with you...but you deserve better than to have me around. You have to do so many things for me, like cooking and washing. I hate to have to watch you do those things for me. You, loveable and calming Shinobu- chan."  
  
Shinobu went red at the word 'loveable', but she drew herself up and spoke clearly, though her gaze was aimed at the floor at Keitaro's feet.  
  
"I don't mind, sempai. You may feel that way...but I enjoy it. I enjoy doing something to help you. You don't have to feel this way about it."  
  
"I know...but I must, Shinobu-chan. And that's not only it. I've made you cry so many times, and I've caused so much trouble for everyone else...even Mutsumi-san..."  
  
Keitaro's voice broke at that. Shinobu looked up in alarm as Keitaro tried to choke back a sob.  
  
"Mutsumi-sempai...?" she looked confused.  
  
Keitaro looked up at her again, close to tears.  
  
"Shinobu-chan, I want to be with you always, and there are others I would like to be with. But...one day, that may not be possible for me anymore, Shinobu-chan. Can you understand that?" Shinobu timidly walked up to him, as if some large inner debate was taking place in her as she stared at her anguished sempai. Blushing redder this time, she latched onto his arm and looked up into his face.  
  
"Sempai...if that happens, I don't know what I'd do. You're the only person I could ever really trust...I really mean that, sempai! No matter what happens with the others...my first call is to you, sempai. I don't think now I could trust the world without you there..."  
  
Shinobu looked a little embarrassed at the tumble of dramatic loyalty coming out of her mouth.  
  
Keitaro stared in anguished amazement at the emotional girl clinging to him.  
  
_I really don't deserve her._  
  
"Th-thank you, Shinobu-chan."  
  
"Sempai, you don't have to feel so guilty about me. I would never allow anything to be otherwise, even those times when you made me cry. I understand if you have trouble with the others, but with me it will never matter to me. I know who you are, sempai...and...I think I know why you feel this way."  
  
Keitaro stared at Shinobu, who let go of his arm and looked at him with firm resolve in her eyes.  
  
"You look really tired, sempai. Please get some sleep. I'll try to defend you tomorrow morning."  
  
So she knew what Naru would do. Keitaro nodded slightly, a smile starting to form on his face. He felt a little better now that Shinobu, at least, understood what he was going through.  
  
Shinobu slowly turned and went to the shoji. She looked back as she began to close it.  
  
"Good night, sempai. Enjoy the cookies."  
  
And she was gone.  
  
Keitaro slowly reached out and took the plate of cookies, sitting down on his futon. Not only was Shinobu's cooking wonderful, but so was she. Keitaro felt now, that even if things did take a turn for the worse, he could feel a bit better knowing that Shinobu understood him, the same way Mutsumi had.  
  
Keitaro felt his tiredness catch up with him as he finished the last of Shinobu's cookies. He quickly changed into his sleeping clothes and lay down on his futon. Tomorrow was bound to be interesting, and maybe not all in a bad way either. Keitaro's thoughts of tomorrow flicked him back to the strange young gaijin he had met. The boy's piercing and weirdly gleaming gaze flashed through Keitaro's memory, and he shivered. Whilst the boy's stare did not seem in the slightest bit threatening, it did seem to show that he knew a few things Keitaro did not, and that the boy was far older in mind than body.  
  
_Well, I'll know tomorrow. Maybe he'll be different then._ Keitaro yawned and rolled over.  
  
_But will he even come? It feels like it was all a dream now._  
  
It was true that the boy had appeared and vanished so suddenly with no trace left that it felt like a dream. Keitaro had not even got a clear look at him because of the darkness.  
  
In Keitaro's dream that night, he saw the outline of the gaijin boy again for a moment, and the boy was staring at him thoughtfully, stroking his chin, as if deciding...

* * *

Another chapter in. Phew! Please R&R.  
  
Next chapter we'll see Keitaro deal with his world again and decide what he wants. We'll also meet the foreign kid again, and maybe a couple of other characters from LH. Maybe we'll meet Kouji again too, and figure out exactly what's between him and Naru.  
  
That's all for now. Love you all, readers.  
  
Jim'Van 


	3. Bitterly Sweet

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters. Ken Akamatsu and TokyoPop own them. However, I do own any other characters in this story. If you're still reading this, then this must be your first fanfic.

Author: Hey there, back again. So busy with my research recently, so no update for a while. Thanks again for the great reviews. Things will take a little dip out of the mysterious and angsty during this chapter, but don't worry, there'll still be plenty more. When we last left our hero, Keitaro, he was fallen by Mutsumi's desire to leave him behind and Naru's growing relationship with another man. Besides Shinobu, is there anyone who will help him? Well, there may just be...

Love Hina: The Exiles

Chapter 3: Bitterly Sweet

The morning dawned sunny and shining for Keitaro the next day, though it did little to reflect his mood. He groaned as the sunlight filtered through his window and landed on his face. He rolled over and buried his face into the futon cover. He was awake, but he would be darned if he was going to get up yet.

_Oh boy, I had almost no sleep last night. Spent the last few hours rolling over and thinking about tomorrow morning – this morning now. What the heck am I going to do? Breakfast would be great without Narusegawa's plan._

Indeed, Keitaro admitted to himself there was little chance that Naru had forgotten her request – no, more like her command – for Keitaro to apologize at the breakfast table and depreciate himself a bit before all the flak his residents were going to dish out (particularly in the physical form in Motoko's case). He sighed and rolled back again, staring at the hole in his ceiling.

_I could just lie here all day. Pretend to be sick. Come to think of it, I don't feel freshly-picked at all just now._

His legs hurt from all the walking and furious running he had done the previous day, and combined with what little he'd eaten and the heartache he suffered from the loss of Mutsumi, he hardly felt up to the task of being kanrinrin today. He felt like his legs were more likely to give way beneath him than carry him down to the kitchen. The thought made him wince.

_Just this once, I could hope that they would take pity on me. I'd really like that._

That too, he knew, would probably never happen with most of them if he busted every bone in his body, lost every last yen in his wallet, and contracted irreversible erectile dysfunction. Indeed, Keitaro chuckled dryly to himself, they'd probably throw a party celebration if the last thing ever happened to him.

He shook his head again. Shinobu-chan...she was really sweet, but no matter how much he tried to deny it to himself, he doubted she would ever be strong-willed or assertive enough to stand up to Naru and the other girls when they accused him.

Sighing to himself, Keitaro resigned to his fate and sat up on his futon. His eyes were still bloodshot around the edges of his lids and large, dark circles adorned his sockets from his night of tossing and turning. His face was paler than usual, and his hair hung in a mess over his forehead.

_A shower, that might help._ Keitaro made to stand up, but when his legs creaked he groaned again and sank back onto the warm material of his futon. They hurt even worse when he tried to move them.

Keitaro tried to gather all his strength to stand up, but suddenly, there was a familiar noise that made Keitaro's heart skip a beat.

Liddo-kun's cover slid away from the hole and Naru poked her head down to look at the fallen kanrinrin.

"Get up, you baka. Breakfast is in twenty minutes and if you want a shower you'd better hurry."

Keitaro groaned to himself. Naru had never been a morning person.

"All right, I'm moving, I'm moving." He sat up and stood slowly, gritting his teeth and trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his leg muscles. He stumbled over to his clothes as Liddo-kun's cover slid back and he heard the thump of feet on his ceiling as Naru did likewise.

_This is going to be pure torture. Narusegawa obviously isn't going to give me any leverage at all. Don't I wish I could just make everyone else, minus Shinobu-chan, disappear for just this morning?_

Glumly, Keitaro walked out to shower after he glanced up and down the corridor for incoming residents. When he came out, cleaned and dressed, he sighed and walked down to the dining area.

* * *

Shinobu stood at the cooktop getting everyone's breakfast ready. Sausages, fried rice, bacon, and fruit. Shinobu knew most of the residents preferred Japanese, but western-style breakfasts were nevertheless a treat every once in a while. Everyone, except Keitaro, who had yet to arrive, was sitting at the table smacking their lips in anticipation, particularly Su, who was slavering like a dog.

They heard a half-whispering voice.

"Ohayou..."

Everyone turned to see Keitaro standing in the doorway, looking like he'd seen better nights and days. Shinobu felt a stab of concern and pity as she looked at her sempai's wasted face and, so it seemed to her, almost constant shoulder slump. He looked very unhappy indeed.

Shinobu remembered the night before when she had grabbed the photos from Keitaro before he could burn them. Even then he seemed to be full of a kind of sad energy, but now she saw he looked utterly consumed in bitterness.

_But why?_ she thought. She had seen Keitaro and Naru fight before, but the result was never like this. Shinobu knew Keitaro too well to think that it was merely Naru's new friend who had upset him as such. What had happened?

Smiling what looked like a forced smile, Keitaro took his seat at the table and looked around at the residents surrounding him. Motoko was sitting with her eyes firmly glued to her plate and an iron-hard scowl on her face. Shinobu winced slightly. She could imagine that she had a number of unpleasant things to say to Keitaro about 'not doing his job'. Kitsune was slowly twirling a chopstick in one hand and gazing curiously with one eyebrow raised at Keitaro, her other arm cupping her cheek and resting on the tabletop. Sara was staring at her plate, looking very huffily bored. Naru had a look on her face as she stared at Keitaro that practically oozed with reproach. Su, of course, was merely gazing longingly at the food pans beside Shinobu, which she decided to dish out in a hurry before Kaolla used everyone's distraction to seize them.

"Breakfast, Sempai." Shinobu said, putting on a cheerful smile and carrying the first pan to the table.

"Not just yet, Shinobu-chan." said Naru suddenly in a quiet voice as she was about to put the pan down.

Shinobu groaned inwardly as she realized what Naru was about to do.

_Couldn't she have at least have waited until after we'd eaten?_

"What's the matters, Naru? I'm hungry!" Su whined, collapsing like a sack of potatoes onto the table.

Shinobu placed the pan before the happy Su with a sigh as everyone else ignored her and stared pointedly at Keitaro.

"You know what to do, Keitaro." Naru said pointedly as she looked at him.

The dispirited Keitaro looked up slowly again from his plate, a weak smile creasing his tired face. "Sorry for going out all day." he said offhandedly before looking down again.

If Keitaro had thought that Naru was going to let him get off with just that, he was very sorely mistaken, Shinobu could see, as she immediately opened her mouth.

"You should be sorry! It's your job to be here for the residents! You are the kanrinrin for crying out loud!" she half-shouted at him.

"I agree with Naru-sempai, Urashima." Motoko said coldly as she looked up and fixed her steely gaze on him. "You should have known better than to run off like that."

Keitaro merely gazed at the floor beneath his chair, not responding. Then Kitsune spoke up, not sounding reproachful at all.

"Keitaro, I only hope ya managed ta sort yourself out. Ya shouldn' just go off like that and get everyone worried, ya know?"

"Kitsune, don't you think that's beside the point?!" Naru said to her high school friend before turning back to Keitaro.

Shinobu heard Kitsune mutter slightly out of the corner of her mouth "You were the one doin' most of the worryin' though, Naru."

Keitaro merely sat there as Naru and Motoko chewed him out verbally for the next couple of minutes without saying a word. Finally, Shinobu decided she should speak up before his persisted silence angered them.

"Naru-sempai..."

She paused and turned to look at Shinobu.

"He did all his work, didn't he?" Shinobu said, hoping her voice didn't shake the same way her knees threatened to. "I don't think he deserves to hear all this. He did all of the kanrinrin work that morning. I...I don't really think it's our business what he does with...well...um, his spare time. And he just apologized anyway, didn't he?"

Shinobu gulped as Naru glared at her. Shinobu would've given anything to be someone else and anywhere else at that moment.

Naru spoke slowly. "Didn't you just hear what I said, Shinobu-chan? He's supposed to be here. It's his job to watch out for the residents in case of danger or damage."

"But...um...I..." Shinobu fumbled for the right words to explain to Naru that Keitaro should be allowed some time to himself to think things out at times like this...but she could not with the pair of hard stares directed at her from Naru and Motoko. She immediately blushed and went back to the cooktop meekly, turning her head only slightly to see what was going on.

"You see, you baka! You've got Shinobu-chan all confused with your stupid drama! Now you can apologize to her for that!"

Without changing expression, Keitaro raised his head again and looked sideways at Shinobu.

"Sorry, Shinobu-chan. I shouldn't have got you all worked up." Shinobu saw the lifeless glaze in her sempai's eyes in her backward glance, but she heard the genuine regret in his voice and she immediately felt a wave of pity wash over her.

Shinobu wanted to scream.

_He doesn't deserve this. Naru-sempai made him feel this way, and now she has the colossal...nerve to pin all the blame onto him and pretend she never had any part in this at all..._

_Oh, to heck with it! I promised Sempai I would help him and I will!_

"It's alright, Sempai. I forgive you. I understand perfectly." she said, turning her head and doing her best to smile at Keitaro.

"No, it's not alright, Shinobu-chan. How could anyone ever understand this guy?!" Naru said in an offhanded manner, staring down at her plate with half-open eyes and flicking her wrist in Keitaro's direction in a kind of hammed utter exasperation.

Shinobu gulped slightly, then did her best to push her fears and doubts into the back of her head. She turned around and stared as hard as she would dare at her Naru-sempai.

"I said I forgive him, and I understand him, Naru-sempai...and I do."

Naru's head jerked up.

"What is there to understand, Shinobu-chan? Other than the fact that this baka decided to throw some irresponsible, dramatic stunt and throw away all his responsibilities because he's too selfish to do otherwise and tried to get us all worried."

Keitaro remained silent through this exchange, his face a study in expressionless.

Shinobu gulped again, and then threw all remaining caution to the winds.

"Has it not occurred to you that he may have had some other reason to go out, Naru-sempai?"

Naru looked a little surprised at the hardness in Shinobu's voice.

"You don't even know where he was or what he was doing, Naru-sempai. You shouldn't do this until you've heard what Sempai has to say."

If Naru had been coldly angry before, the temperature sank to a full-blown blizzard.

"Wha-what are you talking about, Shinobu-chan? What reason could he possibly have had to think he could excuse himself from his job?"

Shinobu gathered all her strength to say the words that no-one else would probably dare to, but before she could say 'I think you know' to Naru, Keitaro looked up and spoke slowly.

"I was out...visiting Mutsumi-san....that's all."

"What kind of excuse is that?" Naru exploded at him again, an angry light coming into her eyes at the mention of Mutsumi. "You can't just-"

"Enough, Naru-sempai!" Shinobu said firmly, trying to hold the furious gaze that Naru then turned on her. At Keitaro's admission, something clicked into place in Shinobu's head about Keitaro's persistent sadness.

_So that's it._

"Sempai..." Shinobu said quietly. "Why don't you go up to your room? You apologized...and I think maybe you don't really want to be with us now, right?"

Everyone gawked in surprise at Shinobu's seeming change. Right then, she had her hands on her hips, standing straight up and doing her best impression of a younger Haruka. But Shinobu's cheeks were still laced with red as she did something she had never tried before: overruling others.

Keitaro looked at her carefully, and Shinobu thought, for a moment, that she saw a flicker of something, maybe gratitude, in his eyes.

"Yes, Shinobu-chan. You're right. I'll just go." He stood up and stepped away from the table before anyone could stop him.

Shinobu nodded. "Go on up, Sempai. I'll bring you your breakfast in a few minutes."

Everyone was gawking in amazement at Shinobu as Keitaro left the room. She had never done this kind of thing before, and frankly, assertive support was the last thing any of them had ever expected from sweet, innocent, little Shinobu.

Silence persisted for a moment.

A familiar green and yellow shape landed on the table. It raised a flipper.

"Myuh."

The explosion began a moment later.

"What do you think you're doing, Shinobu-chan?" Naru shouted at her.

"If we let him get away with this, he'll think he can just do it anytime he likes." Motoko said in an angry tone.

"Wow! Well, ya sure gave us all a surprise there, hon'."

"Does a surprise taste good?"

"There goes the dork. Guess I can't really blame him with this bunch of crazies down here."

"Naru-sempai! Motoko-san! Enough!" Shinobu half-shouted, as she felt her eyes begin to water at the reactions of her housemates. "Sempai didn't deserve all that! He has as much right to be sad as any of us! He apologized too! How could you do this to him?! Didn't you see the state he was in?!"

"Shinobu-chan! Stay out of things you don't understand! That guy is a complete idiot and a perverted slacker to boot! How can you try to make excuses for a guy like him?! Think of all the times he did those horrible things to you!" the livid Naru shouted.

Shinobu fell silent for a moment. It was true, she knew, that Keitaro did occasionally do the 'wrong' thing, but as she got to know him better, the more she was sure that her sempai was a man who would never do such things intentionally.

Deciding that she had won her argument with Shinobu, Naru had turned to the doorway. She moved as if to follow Keitaro, and presumably drag him back to the table to eat with them after they had humbled him a bit more.

_No. Sempai doesn't need this now._

Shinobu reached out and grabbed Naru's arm. It took all of Shinobu's resolve to say what she said next. Shinobu felt her voice tremble a couple of times, but she knew that if Naru did not listen to her about this now, she never would at all.

"I think you know the real reason why he's so upset, Naru-sempai. Don't try to deny that he's upset either. You, no matter how you try to act, know as well as I do that he's really sad right now...and Naru-sempai...I think you're at least partly responsible. Leave him alone. I think the best thing to do is let Sempai handle this on his own. He probably doesn't want to see any of us right now."

Shinobu spoke as coldly as she could, putting heavy accusation in a couple of sentences.

Naru's eyes widened, and for a second, she looked like she was going to start shouting again at Shinobu's blunt implication to the 'dating incident', but then Shinobu received help from the last place she had expected.

"Naru-sempai! Shinobu-chan is right. I think we all really know why Urashima is so upset. That doesn't excuse what he did, of course, but I think we should at least leave him alone for now before we do anything else about it. At least it'll make it easier for him to accept his punishment."

Naru's eyes widened even larger as she stared at Motoko, who was sitting with her arms folded and eyes closed. Though her face was slightly red, she was speaking very calmly as if there was no arguing with what she said...and for all the world like she had not just been verbally lashing Keitaro.

Shinobu saw Kitsune giving Naru an affirming glance too.

Naru backed up a couple of steps and looked down, gritting her teeth.

"You guys really aren't going to let me forget that, are you? I'm not proud of it, you know. All the same...Keitaro has no right...I mean, there's no reason for...ohhh, arrrghhh!" Naru stormed out of the doorway without one more word. They all heard the thump of steps and the slamming of a door as she marched up the stairs to her room.

Shinobu, before turning back to the food, gave herself one brief moment to contemplate what had just happened.

_I defended Sempai...and...they listened...they agreed with me..._

_Maybe I should try this again..._

Shinobu shook her head and picked up the pans.

_No...once was scary enough._

_Oh Sempai, please cheer up soon!_

* * *

Keitaro sat before his desk, munching on the toast and sausages that Shinobu had brought him. He allowed himself, momentarily, a thought of amazed pride at the strength Shinobu had shown when he was down in the kitchen.

_Well, she sure exceeded all my expectations. Still...I shouldn't have just left like that and let her take all the heat. Poor Shinobu...she must've felt terrible. She really doesn't deserve me. I shouldn't have been so selfish._

Once again, he felt resentful towards himself. He sighed and set down his empty plate on his desk.

_I'm really pathetic. I had to rely upon a girl thirteen year-old for protection from mere words...and blows. All because of my own stupid feelings. What good are feelings anyway? All you ever get is disappointment when you're Urashima Keitaro. _

_I followed my heart to try for Toudai...no go. I wanted to meet the girl of my memories...probably never going to happen. I felt...responsible...for Narusegawa...and now she runs off with some pretty boy and leaves me hanging. I go to the one I feel in my heart I can trust...and she tells me to leave her alone._

_All my life...I've followed my wretched heart...and I've gotten nothing except abuse, ridicule, and heartbreak. Maybe it's time to just stop listening to it._

Keitaro sighed and laid down upon his still-unrolled futon with nothing except bitter thoughts for company. As he slowly closed his eyes, he wondered if he would ever reap any real benefit in life.

* * *

Keitaro strolled down the long black corridor in the Hinatasou.

_Where are they all? Have they all gone? Good. I hope they stay away forever..._

He reached Motoko's door. He reached out and pulled it. The shoji fell off its hinges and shivered into pieces on contact with the floor.

_Motoko-chan? Where are you?_

He called silently through the open doorway, but as the darkness gave way, he saw nothing. The room was bare. He walked out again, blinking in puzzlement.

He walked down the corridor again and knocked on the next door, surprising himself when the door burst inwards on contact with his fist.

_Su-chan?_

No answer. The room was still there. The jungle was still sitting in her room, but it ws strangely silent. No animals, no clanking machinery, no hyperactive foreign girls.

He shook his head again in amazement, and jumped into the pond, swimming down into the outside hot springs. He struggled for breath as he popped his head out of the water.

_Is there anyone there? I'm in the onsen. Please come and kill me._

But there was no-one there.

Suddenly a voice hammered against the inside of his skull. A voice which caused unbearable pain.

"Keitaro!"

He turned, dazed, and saw the two distant figures holding a smaller figure by the arms in front of the entrance area to the hot springs.

"Come on Keitaro! We found her for you!" Haitani called.

"Yeah! Isn't she cute, Keitaro? We could all share her. She doesn't have to have that promise with just you." Shirai called as he held on to the struggling figure's other arm.

"L-let go of me." The third smaller figure shouted in a strange, echoing voice.

Keitaro saw her immediately. She was dressed in the lovely, striped T-shirt and overalls he remembered. Her long hair hung low over her face in golden strands. Keitaro looked. He looked with all his might.

But her face was hidden by the golden hair.

She suddenly raised her head slightly.

A single, bluish left eye, glowing light, then darkening, and then lightening again, gleamed out at him through the strands of hair.

The glowing eye fixed on Keitaro.

_Kei-kun! Help me!_

The echoing voice shook Keitaro to the bone. He cried out silently and ran to the promised girl. He grabbed her waist and tried to pull her away from Shirai and Haitani.

Haitani smiled evilly, his face taking on a cold expression and his eyes glowing red.

"Don't you want to share her, Keitaro? Well then...we'll just have to keep her."

Shirai then pushed Keitaro away as he frantically tried to hold on to the girl.

"You cannot have her, Keitaro." Shirai's eyes darkened to the color of blood and he kept pushing Keitaro back. "She is ours."

"She is ours." Another familiar voice.

Keitaro turned away from Shirai and saw Motoko, dreadful in her black gi and hakama, point the vicious, jagged sword at him.

"And you cannot have this either, Urashima." Motoko's red eyes glimmered with malice as she smiled cruelly and charged at Hinatasou, somehow slashing it to pieces.

_Motoko-chan!_

Keitaro cried out in anguish, and he turned again.

Mutsumi was before him.

_Mutsumi-san!_

He reached out to her...but she backed away.

"Kei-kun! Stay away from me!" Her eyes were filled with fear as she turned and ran.

He cried out again and tried to run after her, but she was faster. In seconds, she was gone.

Keitaro felt tears slide down his cheeks as his whole life was snatched away from him.

_No! There is still..._

_NARUSEGAWA!_

Liddo-kun's cover opened before him, and he stared into the dark room.

Harsh laughter rang through his skull.

The crimson-eyed Naru, beautiful in her white gown, sneered at him from the other side of the room. She held in her arms the slumped form of a dark-haired man with wide, staring green eyes...

"Go away, pervert!" The snarl from Naru's mouth was anything but human. "You cannot have her! She is his! You cannot have her...or anything!"

Naru dropped the limp Kouji and ran to Keitaro.

Somehow it happened without her even touching him.

Keitaro flew backwards through the wall and rolled endlessly through darkness...

_NARUSEGAWAAAAA!_

Snap!

Shining talons latched from out of nowhere onto Keitaro's shoulders and gave him a faint lifting sensation. Keitaro looked up to see the beautiful head of a golden bird above him.

_Those dreams may never be yours in the end...even if you keep trying so hard. But there may be new and better ones. Ones we can help you with._

_Who are you? _Keitaro's last struggling thought as a sudden light began to erupt around them.

_You shall soon see...have no fear..._

* * *

"Keitaro!"

"Mmmm-wuh!?" Keitaro sat bolt upright and stared around at his room and the very surprised Kitsune kneeling beside him.

"Kitsune! Wh-what are you doing here?! And where's..." He looked around again.

Then it struck him.

"Oh, a dream...it was all just some stupid dream..." Keitaro mopped his sweating forehead with the back of his hand.

Kitsune stared down at him, her fox eyes opened ever so slightly.

"You were moanin' and talkin' in yer sleep, Keitaro. Ya really should try to have better dreams, ya know? I heard all the noise in here an' I thought..." Kitsune shook her head and closed her eyes again.

"Look...Keitaro...I know ya probably don' feel too happy about what happened with Naru the other day...but don' ya think all this is takin' it a bit too far with yer reaction? Who says she's off elopin' with this other guy anyway? He could jus' be a friend."

Kitsune looked rather unusually stern as she stared at him.

Keitaro mentally shook his head to himself. What good would come of telling Kitsune, or anyone, anything about the other reasons he felt so down?

"Look...just buck up, will ya?" Kitsune said, somewhat gently.

Keitaro nodded slightly after a moment, and then felt momentarily alarmed as what he mentally labeled 'The Foxy Menace' lit up Kitsune's face.

Grinning maniacally, she crawled on all fours towards him. She reached out and lightly pinched his cheek, grinning slyly.

"An' if ya have any more funny dreams Keitaro, then come straight ta me! I just might give ya something else to dream about, if ya know what I mean." She grinned toothily at him, rather deliberately wiggling her shoulders, which, when in a crawling position, could be quite a...disturbing gesture.

Keitaro panicked and quickly scrambled away as Kitsune howled with laughter.

She stood up and let herself out of his room, chuckling all the way as Keitaro tried with all his might to lower his blood pressure (among other things).

* * *

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"I'll get it!" Shinobu rushed to the front door and began to open it as the rain pounded down upon the windows of Hinatasou. "Taichi-san! Sorry you had to come so far in the rain."

Shinobu did not doubt that it was her friend Taichi Akiko. Shinobu had asked her to come and visit after school that day. The latest assignment spelt hours of homework, and Shinobu and Akiko might as well have tackled it together, but...

It was not Akiko in the doorway.

Shinobu gazed up at the stranger. It was a tall young man wearing a dark blue raincoat with the hood up. He gazed at Shinobu with clear blue eyes, and when she looked closer, Shinobu saw that the young man was a gaijin.

"G-good evening, sir. What can I do for you?" Shinobu said, turning slightly red in the face from her mistake. She wasn't even sure if he had just understood what she had said.

The boy raised one eyebrow slightly and smiled at her, his face still partially hidden by the hood of his raincoat.

"Good evening. I'm here to see your kanrinrin. Is he here?" he said in a friendly manner.

"Shinobu-chan, what's the matter?" Motoko descended the stairs and looked over at the doorway. When she spotted the boy, her gaze immediately went hard and she reached for her sword.

"Who are you? Are you some pervert come to hit on poor Shinobu-chan? This isn't some tourist attraction. Get out of here!" she growled.

Shinobu twisted around to stare at Motoko. She knew that Motoko distrusted men in general, but something in Motoko's angry glare suggested that she saw something else, like she did whenever she swung her sword at Keitaro.

The boy raised his eyebrow even further as he stared at Motoko, his smile disappearing from his face.

"No...as a matter of fact, I'm here to see your kanrinrin. I met him yesterday and he agreed to let me come see him about an interview."

"A likely story..."

Shinobu watched nervously as Motoko slid her sword a fraction out from its sheath.

"Our kanrinrin was away from here all yesterday...and he isn't seeing anyone for anything right now anyway. Now leave! I don't like the look of that _ki_..."

The boy smirked slightly as he held Motoko's gaze. "Oh, is that it?"

"Motoko-chan..." Shinobu and Motoko looked up in surprise to see Keitaro standing at the top of the stairs from the hall. "Leave him. He's telling the truth. I agreed to give him an interview."

"Urashima...you...you didn't say a word about this! You should've known better than to-"

"Motoko-chan. Let him come in. I said he's telling the truth."

Keitaro's voice was low, but his exasperated tone was enough to make Motoko aware of herself, Shinobu could see, from the slight redness in Motoko's face.

Motoko grudgingly let go of her sword and averted her gaze as their visitor stepped into the hall, a smile on his face again.

* * *

Keitaro led the young gaijin up to his room. Despite the pounding of the rain on the window, he figured it was probably the quietest place to give him the interview. Keitaro had been looking forward to this all day, even though he had not been looking forward to anything else. He had hidden in his room all day after his short 'nap' and contemplated all the ways life could possibly get any worse.

He had heard quiet knocks on his door once or twice, but he refused to answer, and Liddo-kun's cover had remained miraculously unopened all day. That, along with the angry thumping of heels against his ceiling, had convinced Keitaro that maybe, just for once, Naru had decided to leave him alone.

The only visitor he had all day was the harmless little Tama-chan, who was at that point gliding in circles above his young visitor's amazed eyes.

"_A flying turtle?!_"

"Yeah. Tama-chan is the familiar of the place." Keitaro said, chuckling slightly and reaching out to pet the crooning turtle.

"Myuh!" Tama-chan nuzzled against her master's hand cutely.

The amazement faded from the boy's eyes and he smiled again.

"Ah, apart from that kendo girl at the entrance, this seems to be such a friendly place. Do you mind if I take this off?" he said, plucking at the front of his blue raincoat.

Keitaro nodded and the boy pulled back the hood of his raincoat and unbuttoned it, placing it on Keitaro's chair. Keitaro had not got a good look at him last night because of the darkness, but in the light of his room, Keitaro saw the journalist clearly.

He was slim, but his shoulders looked broad and strong. He had long brown hair that looked like it had been slicked by gel and had been pulled back into a three-part ponytail. He was dressed in a sleeveless black hoodie with a red t-shirt underneath and black baggy pants belted at the waist, completing the ensemble with a pair of black trainers. He was wearing a backpack. Keitaro caught sight of a symbol on the breast of his hoodie, which, when he looked closely, looked a lot like the flag of Japan, but with several fine white lines through the red sun.

"So then..." the boy began suddenly, jerking Keitaro's gaze back to his face.

"Shall we begin? I have not introduced myself to you. I'm Kurt'kai. Nice to meet you."

The boy extended his hand, and Keitaro took it.

"And I am..."

"You don't need to introduce yourself, Urashima Keitaro." Kurt'kai said with a slight smile. Your name is a legend out here in Hinata...though I must admit not all the legends I heard about Hinatasou were good..." Kurt'kai's smile cracked into a broad grin.

Keitaro sweat dropped a bit before answering. "Is that really it? Oh boy, I had no idea."

Kurt'kai chuckled, his blue eyes giving off a weird glow as he did so. "Thanks for agreeing to give me this interview, Urashima-san. I doubt anyone could tell me more about life in Hinata than you, the legendary invincible male kanrinrin!"

Keitaro's sweat drop swelled to twice its original size.

"Okay, so an interview for the _Rising Moon_, the newspaper of Tokyo International School, about Hinata and the Kanagawa prefecture..." Kurt'kai began to open the backpack he was wearing

_So he goes to Tokyo International School?_ Keitaro thought as he looked at Kurt'kai. Then Keitaro noticed something. Kurt'kai's voice had some strange echo behind it somewhere in his throat, and his eyes glowed in different shades of blue every few seconds.

_That's odd. I've seen eyes change color before, but never like that._ He shuddered, remembering Naru's demonic eyes from his night-...no, no. Keitaro swallowed and shivered.

Kurt'kai saw it and looked at him curiously while he fumbled with his bag for his equipment. "What's the matter? Have you never given an interview before, Urashima-san?"

"No-no, it's not that." Keitaro said, shaking his head. "I just have a lot on my mind...but please don't worry, Kurt'kai-san." He paused for a minute and frowned.

_That's an unusual name. I've never heard a gaijin name like that before._

"Ah, sorry, is that your real name?" Keitaro asked hesitantly. Kurt'kai paused in pulling out his notetaker.

"No, Urashima-san. It's not. The name is, well, something of a custom for people like me here." Kurt'kai said, smiling slightly as if he again knew something Keitaro did not.

Keitaro waved his arms at his formality. "Please call me Keitaro."

"Very well then, Keitaro. Shall we begin?" He set down the notetaker and clicked it on.

So they did. At first, sounding a bit bored, Kurt'kai just asked about Hinata, the neighbourhood, the people, the customs and landmarks, general stuff. This made Keitaro feel uncomfortable as he didn't know much about some of the things that he was asking. Keitaro didn't know as much as Kurt'kai would have liked, but he answered him as best as he could, and then half an hour later, suddenly...

_CRASH! BOOOM!!!!_

"What the-...!" Kurt'kai stood up and looked around in alarm.

Keitaro chuckled slightly and waved his arms consolingly at him.

"Don't worry. That always happens around here, Kurt'kai."

The gaijin boy gazed down at him in surprise. "What?!"

"Well, you heard the legends, didn't you?"

Kurt'kai snorted slightly. "I thought those were just the ramblings of silly old men, but..." He turned again to Keitaro. "Keitaro, just what the heck was that?"

Keitaro chuckled again. "Oh, the legends about the crazy young gaijin with the overactive imagination living in Hinatasou are quite true."

"Really?!"

"Yes."

Kurt'kai's eyes went a little wild. "So...a fierce kendo girl, a sweet little chibi, and a mad child scientist! All true! Man, Keitaro, how do you survive?"

Keitaro sighed and lowered his head. This interview had been helping him take his mind off the unpleasant events of the previous last two days, but now, at Kurt'kai's remark, they came flooding back as his face fell. Considering the emotional roller coaster, and his seeming immortality, Kurt'kai's question was far more relevant than he imagined.

Keitaro sighed again. "When I...or anyone else, figures it out, Kurt'kai, I'll let you know."

The gaijin boy looked down at him, looking concerned, and muttered, half-inaudibly "That bad?"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the shoji.

Kurt'kai glanced over at the door, while Keitaro slowly got up and opened it.

Shinobu was standing at the door.

"Sempai...y-you and our guest were up here so long...a-and I thought you might be thirsty, so..." she looked down at the tray she was carrying. Two cups of steaming tea rested on the top.

Keitaro smiled slightly and took the tray. "Arigato, Shinobu-chan. I really appreciate this."

Shinobu looked down, blushing furiously. When she looked up again, she saw Kurt'kai, who was beaming at her.

"This was very thoughtful of you, miss...Shinobu...was it?"

Shinobu inclined her head in the affirmative to Kurt'kai, blushing a deeper shade of crimson.

Keitaro held out one of the cups to Kurt'kai, who took it. "Shinobu's tea tastes great...like all her cooking does."

Shinobu went still redder, and bowed slightly, clearly not trusting herself to speak.

Kurt'kai took a gulp of the tea and grinned. "Ahhh, that's better. **Thank you** Shinobu-chan." he said, using English at the end.

Keitaro chuckled a bit at that, and Shinobu smiled slightly.

"Ummm, sir?" she seemed to have gotten the power of speech back and turned to the gaijin.

"Please call me Kurt'kai." he said, waving his hand.

"Ummm...Kurt'kai-san...have you eaten this evening? We're going to have dinner in about an hour...and if you like..." she trailed off nervously, clearly not used to inviting people.

Keitaro smiled. "Yes...actually, Kurt'kai, why don't you eat with us tonight? I think you still have a lot to ask me, right? And it's a long way back for you tonight, isn't it? Please come and join us."

Kurt'kai backed up a couple of steps. "Ah...I couldn't. I'm sorry, I'm here on business. I couldn't impose in such a way."

"Don't worry...it's our pleasure, right, Shinobu-chan? At least, we can prove to you that not all of those legends are true, Kurt'kai." The tea had lifted Keitaro's spirits somewhat.

"A-and I think my friend Taichi-san might join us as well..." Shinobu added, as Keitaro remembered her school friend who was supposed to visit.

Kurt'kai paused in thought, then shifted his feet and bowed slightly.

"Arigato gozaimasu. I would be honored.

Shinobu smiled and turned to leave. "I'll set another dish then."

After she had gone, Kurt'kai and Keitaro sat down. Then after a few seconds, Kurt'kai spoke again.

"If they're all like that charming girl...it can't be too bad here for you, can it?"

Keitaro's first impulse was to deny his slip-ups now that he felt a little better, but he could see from the gleam in Kurt'kai's eyes that he wouldn't be able to deny it to him if he tried...besides, Keitaro felt he could trust this young gaijin for some reason. He seemed to just be the type who would listen and watch rather than criticize or bear malice against another.

"Well, they're not all like her." He sighed, his shoulders slumping yet again.

Kurt'kai raised an eyebrow.

"Er...Keitaro, can I ask what they're like? The girls, I mean."

Keitaro slowly began to speak again, as Kurt'kai sat listened without interrupting, hearing about each of the residents. Naru, Keitaro's 'study partner', and recent heartbreak, though he didn't mention that to Kurt'kai. Motoko, the single-minded 'kendo-girl'. Kitsune, the foxy drinker and job-hopper. Su, the Molmolian princess with a bottomless stomach and crazy inventions. Shinobu, the sweet resident cook. Sarah, the resident heck-raiser...for some reason Kurt'kai's face darkened slightly when Keitaro mentioned her. He even told him about Mutsumi and Aunt Haruka. Keitaro avoided any reference to what had just happened before the first time he met Kurt'kai though.

"Well..." Kurt'kai said after Keitaro had finished. "They sound like an exciting bunch all right, but...why do they smack you around so much, Keitaro? I've heard stories about you landing halfway from here to Tokyo." He grinned slightly.

Keitaro groaned. "That, also, is a long story, and very complicated...the key point being I'm clumsy."

There was then another knock.

"Sempai? Kurt'kai-san? Dinner's downstairs." Shinobu's voice came through the door.

Keitaro stood up.

_Well, that was interesting. He sure seemed to be interested. It's like he thought what goes on here is a much better story than Hinata...well, I can hope. When I spoke to him I almost forgot...it. Still, what's with that gleam in his eyes? I know that's not natural. Does he have contacts or something? Oh well..._

"Shall we go?"

Kurt'kai stood up also and sniffed the air.

"Mmmm...is that delicious smell her cooking? Judging from that, she's every bit as good as you said."

"Ah...yes." Keitaro replied, wondering how the boy could smell dinner all the way up on the second floor.

* * *

Author: Another chapter up. Please R&R. Next one coming soon. Just who is Kurt'kai really? What's the deal with his name and eyeglow? Does Keitaro's nightmare mean something? New chapters coming soon. Maybe two, three more remaining in Part I of this story. I don't mind telling you than I plan to introduce more characters still, and then an even deeper plot in Part II.

Next chapter: Dinner at Hinatasou, Akiko, Kurt'kai's POV, Motoko's suspicions about a strange _ki_, and...a special surprise!

Until then, please send me a review or two.

Jim'Van


	4. The Breaking of the Sword

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. They are the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and associates in TokyoPop and TVTokyo. I do, however, own any other characters used in this story unless specified otherwise. I'm really getting tired of writing all this legal crud. Maybe I should just lay down a whole chapter of this disclaimer thingy and then the whole story after it...

Author: Hey there. Long time, no update. Sorry, but I've been up to my eyebrows in work and training, not to mention my other fanfic. Thanks again for all the great reviews. In this chapter, the excitement steps up a little over dinner – Hinatasou style. Please enjoy it. I'm in the process of writing my first book, and I need to know if my writing style is good enough from the opinions of reviewers. In any case, I'm flattered if you take the time to read my work through. Maybe one or two more chapters in Part I of the series after this one...

To the reviewers:

_Kae G_: You're quite right. The word is kanrinin. I'll fix that up in the previous chapters in the future. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. As to Shinobu (Shinomu?? heh), well...wait and see wink. And if you mean my character Kouji, then no, that was accidental.

_Tornado_: Don't worry. It may not be the 'classic' romance fic, but I promise there will be plenty of it to make up for that. Please be patient. It will get better, especially with Mutsumi. Trust me, I have plans for her.

_HinaGuy749_: Don't worry mate. Like I said, things will get a lot deeper soon. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks w/ chicken grease (bleeerrggghh!)

* * *

Love Hina: The Exiles

Chapter 4: The Breaking of the Sword

Kurt'kai and Keitaro followed Shinobu down into the hall. Keitaro glanced behind him and noticed Kurt'kai gazing in fascination at the furniture and decoration.

_I guess he hasn't been in many Japanese inns,_ Keitaro thought. _I should probably caution him about a few things. _

Keitaro groaned inwardly.

_Especially now that he's going to be eating with us._

"Kurt'kai?"

Keitaro turned and looked at the gaijin. Shinobu stopped and looked around also.

"Huh?" Kurt'kai almost walked right into Keitaro as he was staring at the kanji inscriptions on the walls.

Keitaro sighed slightly at the thought of what he had to do. "Shinobu-chan, could you just tell the others we'll be there in a couple of minutes?"

She nodded and left silently at Keitaro's cue.

Kurt'kai looked slightly confused. "What's the matter, Keitaro?"

"There are a couple of other things I should probably tell you about these girls before we go in there..."

"Ah, yes. Of course, I'm not going to say a word to kendo-girl, Keitaro. Don't worry about that."

Keitaro shook his head.

"That's not it. The thing is, one of the other residents, Narusegawa, isn't exactly happy with me at the moment..." he sighed.

Kurt'kai looked at him.

"You mean your study partner?"

Keitaro nodded.

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you later if I get the chance. I just want you to know that if things go wrong, try not to worry about it...just keep on eating." Keitaro shrugged helplessly, his eyes cast down in the sorrow he had tried so hard to forget.

Kurt'kai looked at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly, but Keitaro thought he saw a look like concern flicker across the boy's face.

"One last thing..." Keitaro said as they started towards the dining area. "The girls will probably want you to introduce yourself at some point. Are you okay with that?"

Kurt'kai nodded again.

Keitaro chanced a wry smile at him. "And if you've heard all the legends, then you can expect that won't be so simple, Kurt'kai..."

The gaijin smiled slightly.

* * *

Naru sat at the table, staring down at the fine grains of wood, her jaw set in grinding mode.

_Where is that baka? He's not going to pull out of another meal and get everyone all suspicious of me again! I'll kill him if he does that. Thanks to him, no-one's talking to me now. I ought to tear him apart for all this stupid drama. All over one stupid little meeting with Kouji..._

Naru's brain was mentally imaging a hundred distinctly detailed and extremely unpleasant torture methods for a certain third-year ronin/kanrinin/pervert, but all the same, her heart couldn't help but feel the renewed pang of guilt. Truth be known, she was bitterly ashamed of herself, both at her ditching him and at what she had done when she lost control with him the other night. After Keitaro had smashed through the wall and sped off into the night horizon, Naru had spent pretty much all the night tossing and turning in her futon and doing her best to forget. But deep down somewhere, she knew that she was just pushing away the full impact of Keitaro's words...and it would only be a matter of time before they came back to haunt her.

True to her nature, Naru had attempted to cover her emotion with rage, which was the cause of many of Keitaro's one-way flights. She knew that the other girls would back her up in this usually, as she was everyone's unofficial role model, and because they all had their own reasons to dislike Keitaro. However, unknown to Naru, or anyone else in the Hinatasou, the real reason for their continued refusal to let up on Keitaro was similar to hers: they were all afraid of their real feelings for the ronin, so they tried to hide it behind something else.

So then it was that the 'shelled' Naru sat seething and waiting.

Taichi Akiko had joined them earlier that evening. She was sitting in the chair opposite Naru, but the poor girl looked scared to death of Naru in her current state.

When Keitaro finally walked into the dining room, she immediately threw up her gaze and caught his eyes, putting as much venom as she possibly could into her stare. Keitaro, typical of him, looked right at her after entering the room, and as he caught her look, he winced slightly, but quickly looked aside and strode to his chair without a word, stopping briefly to bow to Akiko.

Naru considered momentarily just going and sitting in the empty chair next to him, just so he could feel the aura radiating off her skin, but then she heard footsteps following him and looked around at the newcomer.

Naru's eyes widened as she set eyes on Keitaro's guest.

_He must be the journalist Motoko-chan told me about_, she thought. _So he's staying for dinner..._

Naru wondered what this was going to mean. They almost never had dinner guests in the Hinatasou, unless you counted Kentaro, who they usually made sit away from the main table, and Mutsumi, who had not visited since the last time Naru had walked in on her and Keitaro together...

Naru snarled slightly and clenched her fists at the memory. Even that time, when they were on the floor in each other's arms, Keitaro had the nerve to claim it was all an accident. She knew he was clumsy, but _no-one_ could ever get into that kind of position by accident...not that she cared. _No_, Naru thought, _I don't care what they do._

Naru looked up again, and saw that Su was hanging from around their guest's shoulders while he gawked at her in utter surprise and Keitaro tried to persuade her to come down.

"Heyas, what's your name? Got anything good to eat?"

"Su-chan, let go of him. That's not very polite, you know."

"Nah, Keitaro, he doesn't mind! We're friends already, see?" she pinched the gaijin boy's cheek and tugged it, grinning maniacally.

The boy suddenly twisted over backwards and pinned the still-clinging Su against the floor, surprising everyone in the room and getting a gasp from Akiko and Shinobu.

"Give up?" he said, with an inverted grin.

"Hahaha, nope! I'll never give up!" Su twisted out of his grip and stood up. She looked like she was going to jump on him again, but Keitaro lay a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"Su-chan! You shouldn't do that in the dining room. You two can play later. The food's ready."

At the mention of food, Su's eyes brightened and she leaped clear across the table into her seat, completely forgetting about Keitaro's guest, who was staring at her with a slight smile on his face.

Naru sighed and turned around to look at the others. Kitsune was staring thoughtfully at the young gaijin. Naru groaned. She could almost see the wheels spinning in the foxy brain. Sara was dreaming unconcernedly and twirling a fork in her hands. Shinobu stared in concern at their young guest, and then she looked over at Motoko.

Catching Shinobu's gaze, Naru looked at Motoko, who was staring openly at the foreigner with a flatly unfriendly look in her eyes. He didn't seem to notice however, and he muttered something quietly to Keitaro, who nodded.

Keitaro turned his head and looked at Naru again, who gave him the most deathly glare she could manage, and a "I'll-deal-with-you-later" look. Keitaro looked away again, but again Naru noticed that his eyes missed their usual spark.

_Well, you get what you deserve, you baka. If you're going to cause all this drama, then you ought to suffer for a while, just like you've been making me suffer these last few days while you go and sit grinning like an idiot about it._

_But, did he really..._

She shook herself.

_I have to stop being so soft. He's just a good...no, a bad actor. I know exactly what he's doing. Just trying to get me all guilty. Well, two can play at that game..._

Shinobu came forward with a serving pan. "Dinner everyone."

* * *

Kurt'kai sat slowly in the chair next to Keitaro and looked around.

_So, this is the Hinatasou crew. Well, Keitaro sure made some accurate descriptions. Man, that blonde girl nearly choked me to death! If the others could see this bunch..._

Kurt'kai then turned and looked at Keitaro while Shinobu put down the pan on the table. His face looked tired and sad, and he was gazing down at his plate. Kurt'kai's eyes narrowed.

_He seemed just a bit happier a moment ago. What could..._

At a sudden thought, he turned and looked at Narusegawa Naru, he presumed from Keitaro's description. Her gaze was directed straight at Keitaro, and it was so cold that even Kurt'kai felt it.

_Oh man, is it really that bad? This is something I should probably keep out of. Hoo boy, Keitaro, you've got it hard! I could tell from the way you described her that she's got your heart in her pocket, but right now she looks like she'd like nothing better than to stick it in the grinder instead!_

Naru then turned her head slightly and looked at Kurt'kai. Her gaze softened slightly, and her lip curled in a kind of half-smile.

Kurt'kai couldn't help but wince. In her sight, he felt about as welcome as an arsonist in a paper factory. He didn't doubt that she wished he wasn't there so she could rip Keitaro apart.

Naru then went back to boring eye-holes in Keitaro, and Kurt'kai looked at the others.

There was a young woman of about twenty, he guessed, with short light brown hair and fox-like eyes, whom Kurt'kai assumed was the aptly-named Kitsune, looking at him. At meeting his eyes, she raised one eyebrow slightly and smirked. Kurt'kai smiled slightly in return.

Next to her was a little blonde girl, Sara. A gaijin, though Kurt'kai could see...no, she was not like him. She looked up at him, and quite promptly and professionally stuck out her tongue. Kurt'kai smirked at the ankle-biter, and turned his attention away.

_I see she hasn't learned much from being here either._

Next to her was the hyperactive girl that he had pinned to the floor. Kurt'kai assumed she was the islander princess/mad scientist, Kaolla Su. She was drooling as she gazed at the food pans. Kurt'kai couldn't help but grin. She would be quite a handful.

Last on that side was the crazy kendo girl he had seen earlier. Motoko, her name was. Kurt'kai could see, with just one glance, that if there was going to be any trouble for him, it would come from her. She seemed to be the very epitome of 'conservative' from his glance, and he knew only too well what the conservatives thought of his kind. They thought gaijin were bad enough, but if Motoko discovered exactly what _kind_ of gaijin he was...

She turned her head suddenly and caught his gaze. Kurt'kai sighed inwardly. _Trouble._

She glared at him, her aura flickering with dislike and violence. Kurt'kai remembered the reference she had made to his _ki_.

_I have to be careful, she senses my energy. No, I can't allow her to know._

Kurt'kai looked away, though he felt the burn of her gaze against his cheek. He turned and looked down the table at the only other one he didn't know.

_That's all the Hinatasou girls, so that must be Shinobu's friend. Oh dear, she looks scared. I guess I would be too if I had to sit across from Narusegawa-san in that state._

Akiko looked over at Kurt'kai. He smiled slightly and winked, unable to resist the temptation. She blushed slightly, but she smiled back and then looked down at her plate.

Shinobu set down the last of the pans on the table and sat down in her chair next to Keitaro. Kurt'kai could see that Naru was glaring at her.

_Is she jealous? Or is it...something else?_

Kurt'kai felt a nudge in his side.

"Why don't you introduce yourself before we eat? Let's not keep everyone curious." Keitaro's voice sounded bitter.

_Oh, thanks a lot Keitaro! Didn't you want to wait until someone asked before?_

_No. I know he isn't doing this on purpose. The poor guy looks really upset. That was probably just a reflex._

Kurt'kai glanced around at the others, some of whom were nodding, and stood. He could still feel Motoko's death glare on the side of his head.

He bowed._ Formalities again._

"_Hajimemashite_. My name is Kurt'kai. I came here to interview your kanrinin for my school newspaper, and Shinobu-chan here was dear enough-"

Shinobu looked down, blushing. Kurt'kai smiled sideways at her and continued.

"-to invite me to eat with you all. I'm glad to meet you all. Keitaro has told me a lot about you..."

_Oh no, I shouldn't have said that..._

Indeed, both Naru and Motoko were staring at Keitaro suspiciously now.

"But, er, we're all hungry, neh? Let's eat! I've heard your cooking is great, Shinobu-chan." Kurt'kai finished his disastrous speech and sat down quickly. The resounding thump from his impact with the chair seat slowly tore Naru's and Motoko's gaze back to their plates.

_Man, the atmosphere with those two is almost sub-zero. Just what have you done this time, Keitaro? I'd better have a talk with him after this._

"_Itadakimasu!_"

Everyone tucked in, chattering excitedly as Shinobu's cooking began to run its effect on them.

Kurt'kai smiled after a few bites.

"Shinobu-chan, this food is great! I'm never tasted anything like it!"

Shinobu bowed. "Thank you, Kurt'kai-san."

Kitsune looked up from her plate and grinned.

"So ya got yerself a favorite already, neh Kurt'kai-kun?" she asked, smiling in her foxy way.

"No...that's not...I mean..." he floundered.

Kitsune laughed heartily. "Oh relax, kid! I know that ain't what ya meant. Ya gotta be careful...someone might take advantage of tha' innocence, ya know?"

She grinned and winked at him in a suggestive way.

He drew himself up and grinned back. "If you only knew, Konno-san."

At that, Kurt'kai again felt the eyes burning into the side of his head.

* * *

Motoko glared without pause at the gaijin as he grinned at Kitsune.

_Who does he think he is? He should know better than to act like that at the dinner table._

Obviously, the fact that Kitsune started it had conveniently slipped Motoko's mind for the moment.

_He just shows up here without warning and just comes in and interviews Urashima, and then comes down and eats with us showing this complete impertinence!_

_I have enough trouble with these gaijin males, thinking they can come to our country and do what they like and be left to get away with it. I ought to throw him out right now for what he just said!_

The more Motoko glared, the more she disliked what she was glaring at. Kurt'kai was smiling politely and speaking in a respectful tone, but Motoko did not like the unusual attitude he showed when Kitsune ribbed him.

_Just what is that aura?_

Motoko could sense his golden _ki_ energy swirling all around him. It wasn't like the usual aura she sensed. It seemed to be negative energy rather than positive, and it seemed to be bound to him and drawn into him rather than being radiated. She had never seen a reversed _ki_ before, and she didn't like it.

Motoko's hand twitched reflexively on her sword hilt, her sense of unease deepening with each passing second.

"So, Kurt'kai-kun..." Kitsune again. "Which school did you say you went to?"

Kurt'kai smiled. "I didn't, but I go to Tokyo International School."

Kitsune's eyes opened slightly. "International school? I didn't think there were any of those in Japan. I thought gaijin kids usually went to private classes."

Kurt'kai nodded. "They usually do, but there are still some actual gaijin schools...the fees go through your bank account like a knife through butter though. That's why so many others take those classes."

Kitsune grinned. "So you must be a rich little bon-bon, hmm?"

He smiled back, obviously knowing what she was hinting at. "Not quite. Sorry, Konno-san."

Motoko scowled at the boldness in his reply.

Akiko was looking sideways and listening to them, probably only because she was too scared to look at Naru any longer.

_Riiing, riing! Riiing, riing!_

"I'll get it!" Shinobu walked into the hall.

Then Motoko noticed Urashima. He wasn't eating much, his eyes glued firmly to his plate and his face a wooden mask of sadness and poorly attempted indifference. It was always easy to see when Urashima was sad. He didn't look much better than he had that morning.

Motoko grimaced. She didn't think that he was wrong to be sad, but she wondered, why did he maintain this façade of looking troubled, against his nature, when Naru did not appear to care about it at all?

Things like this had happened before, and Urashima, even when Naru was still upset with him, had gone back to his normal cheerful self, and after a time, Naru would ease back into that as well.

Little did Motoko know that his happiness was actually the façade, and the glum aura around him now was the real thing.

* * *

Shinobu returned and walked over to Naru. She bent down and muttered something into Naru's ear. Naru's face brightened.

"E-excuse me for a minute." She stood and left the table for the living room.

Keitaro stared.

_Narusegawa? Someone called for her?_

Phone calls for Naru were rare in the Hinatasou. She had so few friends or associates outside of the dorm, and her family almost never called her. That was one of the drawbacks of Naru's lifestyle: she had so few friends because she spent most of her time studying, and not once had some associate of Naru's rung up for any reason. Whenever her family was on the line, she usually just spent a brief moment speaking to them and left the phone hurriedly, making excuses about needing to go to a class or out on an errand. Naru's parents had taken the hint a long while ago and stopped making social calls, and the name Narusegawa was hardly ever heard on the Hinatasou line anymore.

_Is it her family calling again?_

Suddenly, a light laugh filtered into the dining room. Naru's laugh.

_No, it's not her family. Then who..._

Keitaro tensed up.

_No. I know who..._

Kurt'kai, munching on a dumpling, turned slightly in his chair and gazed at the hallway. "She sounds like she's having a good time. I wonder who she's speaking to." he said through a mouthful of chicken.

"I...I don't know." Keitaro answered, gazing down at his plate and half-finished meal. Somehow, he didn't feel hungry anymore at all.

_I...I really have to get out of here._

Keitaro made to stand up, but he remembered his guest beside him, who was currently sitting in the chair beside him, slurping down miso soup and making contented noises in the back of his throat. Keitaro sighed inwardly.

_He's still eating. Guess I'll wait for him. Finishing the interview ought to...well, help._

At that point, he was desperate for any distraction from thinking about who Naru was talking with right then, and what they were talking about...

After a few minutes, the gaijin had cleared his plate and side dishes of all consumables, patting his stomach and smiling happily at Shinobu.

"Thank you very much, Shinobu-chan! That was the best meal I've ever had." He grinned at Shinobu, who was very red in the face and bowing in thanks. Keitaro looked around. Everyone, except for Su, who was still scoffing down a plate overloaded with beef, and Naru, whose mostly-full plate still sat on the table, everyone else had also finished.

"Kurt'kai..." Keitaro said quietly to him. "Why don't we go finish the interview? It's getting late."

Kurt'kai turned to him and nodded, and they both stood.

"Oh, Sempai..." Shinobu said suddenly. "I made some cake too for dessert. Would you and Kurt'kai-san like to try some?"

Keitaro groaned inwardly. _Perfect._

"Ah...no thanks, Shinobu-chan. I'm really full. Thank you for the meal."

Kurt'kai however, turned to him again, his glowing eyes bright. "Er...Keitaro, do you mind if I try just a little of Shinobu-chan's cake before I come up and finish the interview? I'm just...curious."

Keitaro sweat dropped slightly. _Curious indeed. You're salivating all over the floor._

"All right, Kurt'kai. I can understand why you don't want to miss out on her cooking."

Shinobu went red again.

"Please come up to my room when you're done then. See you later everyone."

Keitaro turned and left through the hallway, leaving everyone staring in confusion at the sadness in his voice.

* * *

"So it's okay then, Naru-chan?"

"Yes of course, Kouji. I'll meet you tomorrow and we'll go over the theory."

"Okay then, see you tomorrow. _Ja ne_."

"_Hai, ja ne_."

Naru hung up the phone, smiling to herself.

_So Kouji wants me to help him with his seminar. This is great! He really wants my help._

Naru turned around, half-walking and half-skipping back along the hall...and stopped.

Keitaro was standing in the entrance to the dining hall, glaring slightly at her. And of course, as was often the case when Keitaro dropped in at a time when Naru didn't want him...

_That baka! Isn't it enough that he's got everyone else suspicious of me? Now he thinks he can eavesdrop on my personal conversations as well!_

"Wha-what are you doing there? Were you just standing and eavesdropping on me, Keitaro?"

Keitaro's eyes widened for a moment and he shook his head. "No, I was just on my way back to my room. You'd better hurry back, Narusegawa. You spent so much time on the phone and your food is getting cold."

The last few words were heavy with some emotion in Keitaro's voice. Naru never had any problem recognizing Keitaro's...messages. As he tried to move past her to the stairs, she stepped in front of him, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't think I don't know what you meant by that, Keitaro! I'm going to say this one more time, stop acting like an idiot!"

He just stared back at her for a moment with lifeless eyes, before shrugging and stepping around her.

That was when it happened.

Keitaro tripped on the protruding floorboard and lost his balance, he twisted around on the spot, arms flailing for any kind of support, and support they found...

Unfortunately for him, that support was Naru's shoulder.

Keitaro finally lost his footing and fell heavily onto his back. His right hand, holding onto the shoulder of Naru's sweater, went down with him...and so did the sweater.

Naru's eyes widened and her mouth fell open as the old fabric ripped and was torn from her upper body by Keitaro's weight, leaving her standing in her scarcely-concealing white vest.

In that moment, the rational side of Naru's brain was instantly swallowed up by the awakening anger and horror. The pervert-bashing side was then in complete control, and the results were not going to be good for Keitaro, that was for certain.

_That...that...PERVERT! He did that on purpose! I'll kill him!_

Naru's red battle aura instantly flared into life around her before Keitaro's terrified eyes. He immediately fell on his face, begging for forgiveness and muttering who-knows-whatever-rubbish.

Naru's first punch caught him squarely in the jaw, sending the him tumbling across the floor to crash into a heap in the far corner, which amazingly remained intact, though the crash resounded throughout all of the Hinatasou, and possibly all of Hinata city.

"Not enough, neh? I'll have to try harder!" Naru snarled, slowly approaching Keitaro's still form and gathering all the strength in her body into another super atomic Naru-punch that would undoubtedly leave him with a one-way trip to Chiba and a three-hour hike back.

_Thi-this baka thinks he can..._

"Go ahead, Narusegawa..."

That whisper made her hesitate and halt in her tracks. "What? What are you saying, baka?"

Usually, Keitaro would be crawling on the floor begging for forgiveness or mercy after that.

"Go ahead and hit me. Does it really matter anymore? I'm through trying to reason with you, because you never listen, and because I know now that whatever I say or do or even feel...doesn't matter to you, and it never did...you...you heartless brat." The last words came out in the hiss of breath beneath the burning gaze of angry eyes.

Naru stood there, momentarily stunned. Then, once again, the anger demon reared within her, bellowing with more ferocity than ever before.

"Wha-what did you...j-just...c-c-call me?!" Naru had difficulty forming complete words, so angry she could barely see straight as Keitaro crossed the threshold he had never before dared.

Naru advanced on him again, intent on punishing Keitaro until he never dared insult her, or grope her, or argue with her and make anyone doubt her, ever again.

"You've been my biggest problem ever since you turned up on the doorstep, Keitaro!" She snarled. "And I'm going to make you pay for all that in full right now!"

She raised her fist...and suddenly felt someone catch it in mid-air.

Naru turned her head, and saw Kurt'kai, staring at her and holding her forearm in a grip like iron.

"Now that's enough, Narusegawa! Do you want to kill him?"

He was standing just behind her, and when Naru turned, she saw that Shinobu, Akiko, and Kitsune were also standing behind him in the hallway, with differing expressions of confusion and/or distress on their faces.

Struck by the realization of what she was doing, Naru stopped and glared at the gaijin holding her arm.

"The thought did occur. Now let me go! He deserves what he gets! He pulled off my sweater! He's nothing but a low-life pervert!"

"That was an accident, Narusegawa..." Keitaro whispered. "...then again, I expect that hardly matters to you, does it?" He tossed the remnants of the yellow sweater at her feet and stood up, rubbing his jaw. "I'm going up." He headed for the stairs.

Naru growled and tried to follow him, but Kurt'kai was still holding her arm.

"Let go of me!" She struggled and tried to pull away from him...and Kurt'kai suddenly let go, making her stumble and topple over onto her backside.

Naru glared up at Kurt'kai.

"This is none of your business! Stay out of it!"

Kurt'kai just glared down at her. His eyes seemed to darken from light blue pools into empty black, and his face twisted into an expression of disgust.

"What's going on in there?" Motoko's voice, accompanied by the shuffling of feet, came from the hallway to the dining room.

Keitaro stopped on the stairs, frozen.

* * *

Keitaro watched in fear as Motoko pushed past Shinobu and Akiko and stared at the scene before her. Naru on the floor, with Kurt'kai standing over her with an angry expression on his face, and he, Keitaro, standing on the stairs and looking down on the scene.

"YOU!"

Keitaro cringed at the hard fury in Motoko's voice.

"YOU!" It came again.

_Wha...wait a minute! She's not shouting at me..._

Keitaro saw Motoko glaring furiously at Kurt'kai who stared back at her.

"What did you do to Naru-sempai?! I knew you were no good from the moment I set eyes on you! Feel righteous retribution against you and all your kind, you vile, pretentious male!"

Keitaro's eyes widened in horror as Motoko reached for her sword, but the real fear set in from the fact that this time, it was not he who was the target. How would Kurt'kai, not being immortal, be able to withstand one of Motoko's patented _ki_ attacks without winding up in an ICU?

He jumped back down into the hall, but it was too late. Motoko had gathered her _ki_ and was starting to swing her sword...

"_HIKEN..._"

Kurt'kai did not even blink. He just stood there, arms folded and glaring, as Motoko flared with energy.

Keitaro leaped forward with a strangled cry, but he would never make the distance.

"..._ZANKUUSEN!_"

The billowing winds of swirling _ki_ energy erupted from Motoko and flew at Kurt'kai, who just stood there without moving as Naru quickly rolled away out of range of the attack.

Everyone braced themselves to see the impact of Motoko's _ki_, and then...

Kurt'kai's eyes flared back into a glowing shade of blue as the _ki_ struck some barrier inches before his face. The energy rebounded off him and reversed its direction, heading straight back at Motoko.

Motoko's eyes widened as, for the first time ever, not only did her _ki_ blast completely unfaze her target, but was actually rebounded right back at her. Her face was still frozen in shock as the winds hit her, lifting her off her feet and slamming her into the wall with enough force to shake the building.

Any other person besides Aoyama Motoko would have had their bones shivered into dust by the impact, but Motoko's years of training had hardened her body to the point that she fell off the wall with no more than back pain and dizziness.

She leapt to her feet, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth, and once again gathered her strength.

Keitaro didn't move. He was too surprised to move. He stood there, jaw hanging, as with everyone else in the room besides Kurt'kai, at what he had just witnessed.

"_HIKEN...ZANGANKEN!_"

The crimson blast erupted from her sword, seeking Kurt'kai, but again, the gaijin boy simply stood there, arms crossed, and sighed.

The _ki_ bounced harmlessly off him once again and flared back at Motoko, who stood in utter shock and managed to mouth "How...?" before the blast hit her and flung her through the hallway back into the dining room, where she crashed into the table. Her sword went flying and embedded itself in the far wall.

She hit the floor unconscious, and everyone gazed in amazement at her, and then at Kurt'kai, who stood tall with an annoyed expression on his face and his eyes glowing a brilliant blue.

"As you can see..." he grated from between clenched teeth. "...Japanese _ki_ cannot harm me!"

* * *

Moments later, Keitaro and Kurt'kai walked back into the kanrinin's room, and Keitaro slammed the door shut.

"What did you do to her, Kurt'kai?!" Keitaro asked him, his voice thick with fury.

Kurt'kai just stood there and stared at him. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything, Keitaro. She did it all."

"You know exactly what I mean!" Keitaro half-shouted, pointing a finger at him.

Kurt'kai sighed wearily, once again managing to look much older than he was.

"Can we sit down, Keitaro? It's kinda complicated."

After a moment of simmering, Keitaro nodded and they both sat.

After Motoko had crashed into the dining table downstairs, most of the residents and Keitaro had immediately rushed to check if Motoko was all right. She had several large bruises on her back (Keitaro was rather pointedly left out when they opened her_ gi_ to check how bad they were), a large bump on the head, and a great gash on her inner lip, but she was not seriously injured. Keitaro was surprised. From his unimaginably vast experience of being licked by Motoko's _ki_ techniques, he knew that she should be barely capable of breathing after one hit like that...let alone _two_.

After Naru and the others had rushed Motoko to her room with ointment and bandages, Keitaro and Kurt'kai had returned to his room, the kanrinin seething with rage.

"What did you do to her, Kurt'kai?"

The gaijin sighed. "Nothing serious. I toned down the _ki_ energy flow in her attacks before they hit her. She'll be up and about by tomorrow, Keitaro. No need to worry."

"_No need to worry?_ Kurt'kai, you just did something no-one has ever seen or done before. Those techniques should have ripped you to shreds, but instead they just bounced off you! How did you do that?"

"Would you have preferred that I had just let her kill me, Keitaro?" There was a hint of impatience in the gaijin boy's voice.

Keitaro remained silent.

"Okay, now I can explain..." Kurt'kai straightened. "That kendo girl's attacks on me failed because my body cannot receive that type of _ki_ under any circumstance. I'm not just your average guy, Keitaro. There are...some people...like me...who change our bodies and our spirit energy to another kind which is completely negative. It prevents us from being harmed by any kind of energy except our own, and allows us to absorb certain kinds of energy into our bodies. When her attacks hit me, most of the energy just dispersed around me, but some of it...I wrapped it up in some of my own and sent it right back at the kendo girl."

He paused, and then his blue eyes flickered towards the _shoji_.

"Why don't you come in, Shinobu-chan? Taichi-san?"

There was a double gasp on the other side of Keitaro's _shoji_, and the kanrinin spun around and stared.

The door slowly slid open to reveal two slightly fearful-looking young girls.

"You heard everything?" Kurt'kai asked. Shinobu timidly nodded.

Kurt'kai smiled at her again. "Relax, Shinobu-chan. I'm not a different guy now. I'm the same guy who likes your cooking and came to interview Keitaro. I'm not going to bite you or anything."

But, of course, after what they had all just seen, it was going to take more than that to convince Shinobu and Akiko to come within ten feet of Kurt'kai.

Keitaro looked at them. "Why don't you two come in and sit down?"

Shinobu and Akiko walked into his room, closing the door behind them.

Kurt'kai turned back to Keitaro.

"I'm sorry I did that to her, but she...she...she is the absolute epitome of everything that people like me hate!"

Keitaro was surprised by the sudden vehemence in Kurt'kai's voice.

"She's just violent, Keitaro...and worse than that, malicious. You've told me yourself that she swipes at you for the slightest accident without giving you a chance to explain yourself. I saw that look in her eyes when she swung that sword at me. She enjoys it! She enjoys dishing out pain to people she doesn't like, even when it's for no other reason than the color of their skin or their gender, as is the case with you and me, Keitaro. People like her are exactly what I left my own country to escape from!"

Keitaro thought that, for a moment, he saw the gleam of some reminiscent anger in the Kurt'kai's eyes.

"What's more, you know I'm right, Keitaro. I know how sad you are, and how much trouble that kendo girl and that Narusegawa give you. You shouldn't let them do this to you."

Keitaro stared at him. Little as though he liked to think it, Kurt'kai had a point, both about him and Motoko's love of violence, but...

Kurt'kai sighed and shook his head. "I like you, Keitaro. You're a good man, I can see that, and I don't like what these girls do to you." He stood up and starting putting his books and note-taker back into his bag on the floor.

Keitaro heard a faint whimper beside him, and turned to see Shinobu, staring with tears in her eyes at the gaijin. Kurt'kai turned when he heard her, and slowly smiled again.

"Not you, Shinobu-chan. I know you wouldn't do anything of the sort. But...you know I'm right. You too, you're probably too good to have to put up with people like them...but I can understand why you wouldn't want to believe anything I can tell you now...but I still hope you do."

He smiled warmly at her, making her turn slightly red, and then looked at Akiko. He sighed.

"I'm sorry I ruined your dinner visit to the Hinatasou, Taichi-san. We didn't really talk, but it's been a pleasure meeting you all the same."

Akiko remained silent, staring at him.

He picked up his bag and raincoat. "I think I'd better leave now, Keitaro. I've outstayed my welcome."

Keitaro slowly nodded at him and stood.

Shinobu slowly spoke to Kurt'kai in a quiet, timid voice. "Why did you do it?"

Kurt'kai looked down at her.

"Sometimes, Shinobu-chan, with people like her, seeking you on your own ground, force is the only language they'll understand when you say you want to be left alone."

Shinobu did not reply.

Kurt'kai and Keitaro turned and left, walking down the stairs to the front entrance of the Hinatasou.

"Well, I'm sorry we never got to finish the interview." Keitaro said quietly to him.

Kurt'kai smiled. "Don't be. You answered all of my questions anyway when you told me about your life here." He chuckled again, his face brightening and seemingly forgetting the incident several minutes ago.

Outside the Hinatasou, Kurt'kai stopped and turned to the kanrinin.

"Keitaro...look...I need to ask you. Do you ever feel that...that this world, this place, just isn't right? Like things don't happen the way they should?"

Keitaro looked at him for a moment, and remembering the incident with Naru, he slowly nodded.

"Yes. My dreams...just don't seem to survive well in this place, Kurt'kai. Sometimes, I get the feeling that it's all wrong, and maybe I should've taken another path...I don't know." Keitaro sighed as the heartache came back in full force as he remembered Naru's anger that evening. Their relationship was bound to become more bumpy than ever now.

Kurt'kai remained silent for a moment, gazing up at the night sky, squinting as if he were looking for something.

"Things won't get better, you know, Keitaro. More likely they'll just get worse."

"I...I think I know that too, but I have to try. It's just...the right thing to do, Kurt'kai."

"I don't know, Keitaro. You need help...if not now, then definitely at some point in the future."

"..."

Keitaro did not speak. He knew full and well that Kurt'kai was right...but he still cared too much.

"I think, there is another chance for you out there. One which you could find if you only reached out..." Kurt'kai folded his arms and smiled slightly at Keitaro, his glowing eyes seeming to flicker with some hidden meaning.

A sudden thought hit Keitaro. _Could he mean...Mutsumi-san?_

He stared out over the city from the top of the steps, seeing, faintly, Mutsumi's lodge in Hinata.

_But...she hates me. I just caused trouble for her. She told me to leave her alone._

Keitaro shook his head at Kurt'kai. "I can't."

"She may be your last chance, Keitaro."

"The-the girls wouldn't allow it."

Kurt'kai's face darkened. "Yeah, that's probably true...if it comes to that..."

Kurt'kai gazed up at the sky again for a moment. Suddenly, a flicker of doubt, or maybe some inner debate, seemed to twitch in his face.

Kurt'kai looked at him again slowly, and then clapped him on the shoulder.

"Anyway, thank you very much, Urashima Keitaro, and I'm sorry. _Sayonara_."

"_Sayonara_."

As Kurt'kai descended the steps of Hinatasou, into the darkness and out of sight, something struck Keitaro.

He had said the long-term form of '_sayonara_', and Kurt'kai had said the short-term.

* * *

Author: Whew. Finished at last. On break the coming week, so I will have more time for work in the fanfics I hope. Some of you may ask, what was my purpose in bringing Akiko into this story? Well, I have plans for her too.

Back to life in the Hinatasou next chapter. Will Keitaro be able to fix his relationship with Naru? What will Motoko do? What about Kouji? Will we see Kurt'kai again? All this and more in the next chapter. Until then, please R&R.

Jim'Van


	5. Flight on Wings of Gold

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. They are the property of Ken Akamatsu, TokyoPop, and TVTokyo. I do, however, claim other characters in this story unless otherwise specified. Blah-de-blah-blah! Ohhh, this is tiresome.

Author: Hey again. Sorry it's been so long since my last update. Back now for another chapter. When we last left our hero, Keitaro, he had just said goodbye to his enigmatic young guest who blew Motoko into the dining room with her own energy. Naru is really upset with him and his continued refusal to slip back into his old behaviour now that she is seeing someone else, and of course, the results have been rather painful for him. But now he's ready to return the favour, as we saw in the last chapter when he gave a whole new meaning to words hurting more. Kurt'kai's last words to Keitaro were advice to seek a new path in life before his world collapses on him and crushes him, but Keitaro chose not to agree. What will happen to our hero?

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Love Hina: The Exiles

Chapter 5: Flight on Wings of Gold

"Here? In Japan?"

"Yes."

"Forget it."

"What?"

"What you're suggesting could give those blowhards in the government the chance to crack down on us…and trust me; some of them would love that."

"Sir, you said yourself when you first came into office that you wouldn't ignore your duty…and now, because of the danger we're all supposed to be facing, you're going to go back on that?"

"Please don't call me 'sir'. This is different. Our counterparts could do it…we don't have to."

"Then it wouldn't work, would it?"

"…"

"In any case, you can't actually forbid me to do it. It is within my power to do this and I will…without your approval if I must."

"You'd be breaking more than a few of our rules if you did that."

"For the sake of doing what we were made to do. Besides, you know I'm right."

"Very well. I can't stop you. But know this…if you're caught, I will deny any involvement, and because of that, I won't be able to help you."

"Fine. I'm going to get ready."

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"…Good luck…"

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The morning dawned painfully bright and clear for a young brown-haired woman lying on the couch in her apartment. Last night's drinking binge had really hammered her out, and she was unable to even haul herself to her bed before collapsing.

She groaned and sat up in her rumpled clothes, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight filtering in through her window. The number of empty sake bottles resting on her kotatsu table served as a reminder of her attempt to escape from her grief that made her all the more painfully aware of her present headache and the trembling lurch of her gut.

Trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her head, she staggered to her feet and hobbled over to the curtains to close them.

Stumbling, she pulled them off the hinges and fell beneath a tangle of grey cloth. She didn't bother pulling them off herself and getting up. She just lay there, despair overwhelming her.

"My Kei-kun…" she sobbed, wetting the fallen curtains with her tears of anguish. "Why? Why can't I let you go?"

------------------------------------

After the episode with Kurt'kai and Motoko, the girls, once Motoko was bandaged and sleeping, had immediately tried to hunt the gaijin down and throw him out, only to find that Keitaro had beaten them to it and escorted him from the premises.

Of course, after that, Naru's memory returned of what started the episode and she launched Keitaro several miles into the air, leaving him with a return trip that kept him away until the early hours of the morning.

By about noon the next day, Motoko had awoken, a fiery rage in her eyes and the flicker of barely-contained violence in every muscle in her body. Of course, she let that out on her usual target, without even bothering to wait for a plausible excuse. She said "looking at me for too long" after Keitaro made a sizeable hole in the wall and landed with yet another hike back.

Motoko had quivered for several hours, hardly seeming to be injured at all, before announcing at dinner that evening that she was going to Kyoto the next morning. She muttered, half to herself and half to the curious tenants, that she needed to see her sister for a few days. She left the next day in a hurry, before anyone could even bid her goodbye. Keitaro was deeply unnerved; he alone knew just how much Motoko feared her sister, and at the same time, how much she was puzzled by her sister's 'weakness' in the grief of her bereavement. Since the incident with the Hina Blade at Kyoto, things hadn't gotten much better.

He, meanwhile, had sunk almost completely into brooding sulks. He locked himself in his room all hours of the day, only coming out for baths or prep school or when the tenants called him for repairs. He asked Shinobu to bring his meals up to him in his room, and she did that. Keitaro refused to let anyone besides Shinobu into his room, and he was not speaking to anyone else.

Naru had changed since the incident with Kurt'kai. She absolutely refused to speak to Keitaro, and looked in the other direction whenever he was around. Although whenever his so-called 'pervertedness' reared its ugly head, she still never missed the chance to hit him with a Naru-punch. She ignored him at the prep school and rearranged her class and study schedule to make sure he wasn't around. Despite her seeming indifference towards him, her face was always downcast in misery at his coldness towards her and the others whenever she was alone, and the other tenants had surely noticed. She had gone and met her friend Kouji twice since then, and that seemed to be the only thing that cheered her up at all.

The effect on the other tenants was not lost on either Naru or Keitaro, but still, neither of them would budge. Shinobu was so many times on the verge of tears at the sadness in her sempai's face when she visited him, and the way Naru set her jaw whenever anyone around her mentioned Keitaro made her heart sink. Shinobu didn't understand why the two of them just couldn't make up. Little did she know that it was because neither one of them would admit they had been wrong to the other.

Kitsune was trying not to get depressed, not used to the air around her being so tense at the sparks flying between Keitaro and Naru. Kitsune had seen relationships take damage like this before and she knew that now, the rent was so deep it was unlikely to ever mend. The thought did not thrill her. She had secretly made it her goal to get the two of them together as a happy couple, and the collapse of her glorious plans wasn't something she was used to.

Several times, she had gone and knocked on Keitaro's door, but he had denied her entry and when she said she wanted to help him, he told her to spend her energy on a better task than him. Kitsune wanted to scream. Putting oneself down was one thing she could not stand in someone she considered her friend. Still, she wouldn't force her way into his life if he didn't want it. Despite the foxy, carefree exterior, she had a great heart and respect for the young man who had added so much lustre to their lives.

Of course it was pointless going to Naru. Kitsune found herself on the receiving end of a death glare from the said person whenever she so much as mentioned Keitaro. After a while, Kitsune decided it would be best if she just watched. She hoped she could fix it if the opportunity presented itself…and she was so frustrated with the stubborn pair of them that she decided she really needed to slack off for a few days.

Su and Sara hadn't noticed anything at first, but when Su looked up from her plate long enough to notice Keitaro wasn't there, she immediately came over all concerned, and bounded up into his room right through the door to try and drag him down. She had caught him crying, and bear-hugged him with all her (considerable) strength to cheer him up. It had quite the opposite effect. Cracked ribs only added an extra edge to Keitaro's glumness.

After that, Su had taken off, forgetting the incident completely in the next hour or so. Sara tempted her out with a banana…something Keitaro was immensely grateful for.

And so, for almost two weeks, the pair of ronins were completely estranged, and all the other residents of the Hinatasou felt the whole matter was a time-bomb ticking away to the end.

------------------------------------

"A reversed _ki_ you say, Motoko-han…very interesting."

The Shinmeiiryu mother dojo in Kyoto had always stood as the monument to the noble and ancient family of the sword. Many centuries past, it had been built by the travelling Aoyama warriors to serve as their great home following the oath that the former _ronin_ family of demon slayers had taken to seek and destroy evil across all of Japan. Though it had been twisted, scarred, scratched, and even shivered by earthquakes in places, the buildings had been repaired and reconstructed many times, and the great temple of the Shinmeiiryu had never fallen, standing firm and waiting for the end of time.

The great hall of the temple housed the masters and their families, and it was there, within that ancient structure, that Aoyama Motoko lay seated before her older sister, Aoyama Tsuruko, the sword master of the Shinmeiiryu and arguably the greatest swordswoman in Japan.

Motoko nodded gravely at her sister, still bitterly troubled at the miserable defeat she had suffered at the hands of the gaijin, Kurt'kai.

Tsuruko looked closely at her younger sister. "Come now, Motoko-han. You couldn't have known what would've happened. But what I do want to know is…why did you find it necessary to unleash the power of the Shinmeiiryu upon this gaijin? Surely he could merely have been shown the door?"

Motoko shook her head. "He deserved it, Ane-ue."

She did not mention her reasoning behind that, as she knew that Tsuruko would be critical, and Motoko was not interested in appearing small before her great sister.

"If you believe so, I will not deny you, Motoko-han." Tsuruko replied, but the flicker in her eyes said otherwise.

Motoko straightened. "Ane-ue…I have just never seen anything like that before. No amount of reversal of one's natural _ki_ should stop or repel a Shinmeiiryu technique. I wished to consult with you about this. Do you know how it was possible? Somehow…I doubt that was really just some gaijin that Urashima…the fool…allowed into the Hinatasou."

"Now, Motoko-han, why would you speak of your kanrinin like that? I found his mental capabilities quite formidable and his manner charming." Tsuruko smiled slightly.

Motoko grimaced. _How I wish Ane-ue did not have this trust of men. I would never call her foolish, but one cannot deny that her trusting is more than a little-_

"Motoko-han?"

"Ah…_hai_, Ane-ue?" She drew herself up, embarrassed at being caught zoned-out.

Tsuruko, a slight frown on her face, stared slightly at her sister. "Was there anything else, Motoko-han? Besides the aura?"

_The eyes. The voice._

"Ane-ue…" The memory struck Motoko. "His voice…his voice seemed to echo in his throat. His eyes seemed to just deepen and lighten at random, almost like they were glowing."

Tsuruko's eyes widened, and she seemed to slump slightly into her cushion. "I see…"

Motoko gazed curiously at Tsuruko.

The older Aoyama looked up again. "I see…the eyes. The negative _ki…_well, Motoko-han, you were right to suspect that he was not just a gaijin."

"Ane-ue? He wasn't a gaijin?"

"Yes, he was…" Tsuruko sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "But not just that…he's something else as well...I believe I know this person's identity."

------------------------------------

When it happened, it happened in the most unlikely place.

Urashima Haruka had always kept her door of her teashop open for the residents of the Hinatasou, even in the evening or the dead of night after she had long since closed up. None of the residents could ever figure out why, but Haruka seemed to just always conveniently be in the teashop rather than at home whenever they went looking for her, even after opening hours. Maybe the Urashima bloodline possessed some kind of magic that made them always there when others needed them.

In any case, Urashima Haruka was there, mopping the floor of her shop when the other, younger Urashima knocked on the door one evening.

"Haruka-obansan…"

_Clonk!_

"We've already been over that at least a thousand times, Keitaro."

Keitaro merely rubbed the spot where the mop handle caught his jaw without changing expression and stepped through the open door.

"Give me just a second to finish mopping and I'll be right with you, Keitaro. Have a seat." She gestured vaguely to the empty tables. Keitaro silently sat at one of them, his chin in his palm.

Haruka couldn't help but notice the blank expression on his face the whole time while she finished mopping. She inwardly groaned, but gave no sign of it.

_Whenever he's come here before looking all sad and teary-eyed, it's never taken that much to cheer him up, just a bit of a push and he'll spring up and go back to his usual self and do what he already knew he needed to do. He just needed that much encouragement. _

_But this…no expression at all, and no reaction to that tap in the jaw. This is worse. Yeah, Kitsune sure made it out pretty bad the other day when she visited. The two of them haven't spoken all this time, and now, they completely ignore each other. Keitaro isn't suited for this kind of thing. He looks terrible. It's funny how he can be nearly indestructible and at the same time, so fragile._

_But I know that Naru's new little friend can't be all of it. Keitaro was on the edge about that baka baka Seta before and it was never anywhere near this bad. There has to be something else._

_Well, you just hold on there, nephew. Your Haruka-obansan is here._ She almost cracked a smirk in spite of herself as she put the mop away.

She stepped wordlessly into the back and opened the fridge. Lying in the bottom was a dwindling treasure: some rare, expensive sake from Mie which she saved exclusively for a certain nephew whenever he was troubled. While she did not quite believe that the stuff was capable of sharpening the emotions and senses rather than dulling them as the seller had said, she figured there was no harm in trying.

She pulled the basketed bottle from the fridge and took it out with a couple of sake cups to the table Keitaro was sitting at.

Sitting opposite him, she took care to keep the label describing the sake's 'healing properties' facing away from Keitaro. She untied the bottle's cloth cover and uncapped it.

"So what's on your mind?" she asked, pouring cups for herself and Keitaro.

_Here it comes._

Keitaro looked up and met her eyes for a moment. "For a start, it's not just what you think it is."

_Well, at least he's learned that I do hear things. I can't stand long stories._

"That much I figured out, Keitaro. I know that some fallout wouldn't keep you this way for as long as it has. There's something else, isn't there?"

Keitaro did not reply immediately. He lifted the sake cup and took a large sip, and set it back down without changing expression.

He slowly spoke again. "Haruka-san...do you want the job of kanrinin back?"

Haruka's eyes widened slightly, and narrowed again just as quickly. "No, I don't. So don't get any funny ideas, mister!"

Keitaro nodded. "So I thought. So now that's out of the way, I can think about other solutions…"

Haruka nodded back. "So could I…if I knew the problem. Doing that wouldn't have solved the problem anyway, Keitaro, whatever it is." She left it on a slightly questioning note.

"…How is Mutsumi-san?" Again, he wouldn't speak up.

Haruka, in spite of herself, sighed slightly.

"I don't know what to think about her anymore, Keitaro. I see her in town so often when I go there, but she just doesn't even seem to see the city or the people around her anymore. She always has her head down. I called to her once or twice, but she didn't hear me or she just doesn't care. I followed her the other day to make sure she got home without fainting or tripping up, but she didn't do either of them. I…saw what she was buying, Keitaro…she's probably turning to the bottle."

Keitaro didn't say a word. He lifted the sake cup and downed it all. Haruka poured a refill for him.

"Any ideas why she's acting this way?" Haruka asked pointedly, her tone slightly accusing. She didn't know what happened between them, but this confirmed her suspicions that Keitaro had not been seeing Mutsumi at all.

A brief spark, maybe it was pain…or maybe anger, flashed through Keitaro's eyes. "No, not a clue."

Unable to help herself, Haruka raised her sake cup and took a long gulp.

"Come, Keitaro. I know full and well that you would've gone to Mutsumi long before me…don't get me wrong, I don't mind that…but I know something happened. Care to tell me what?"

Keitaro looked at her. "I-I know what you must be thinking…and let me tell you that it isn't anything stupid like I told her I want to be with Narusegawa and never see her again or something like that. Haruka-san…she told me to leave her alone. Why don't we just let it go at that?"

Haruka almost frowned. That…she certainly hadn't expected.

"Maybe…she regrets that?"

Keitaro sighed. "Maybe…but when she told me…she was probably right to do it. She wants something I can't give her…"

Haruka finally nodded._ So that's it. She wants something else…but she's killing herself trying to do it._

"You should go see her, at least to tell her you don't blame her then."

He shook his head. "No…she knows already that I don't…and she's too smart to hurt herself. She'll come around soon; I have faith in her about that."

_I wouldn't be too sure about that, Keitaro. I haven't seen such a large stash of alcohol since Kitsune won triple on the horses._

Haruka nodded slowly and picked up her cup again. "Fine. If you believe that, I'm not gonna argue. But there's still something else, I know it. Spit it out, Keitaro. You're not going to get anywhere holding it in."

Keitaro raised his head and stared hard at her. Haruka stared right back, neither one breaking the thread for about a minute.

Keitaro's shoulders finally slumped and he looked away as he saw his aunt wasn't going to be put off.

"Fine. I've been questioning all my reasons for staying at the Hinatasou. There just doesn't seem to be any reason to inconvenience everyone with my existence anymore if I have nothing to gain from it. The others have made it clear too many times for it to be funny that they don't want me there. I still have slightly higher than a snowball's chance of entering Toudai, and staying here won't help that. Both Narusegawa and Mutsumi want nothing to do with me, and the others would just benefit from me getting lost. So why should I stay here, or anywhere, any longer?"

Haruka was, for once, speechless. She stared at her nephew, whose head hung lower than she had ever seen it.

"Kurt'kai seemed to think there was a place for me…with Mutsumi, but I can't believe that."

"That blue-eyed kid everyone was talking about?" Haruka asked, finding her voice again. "Keitaro, it's not his choice, or anyone else's besides yours, what you do with your life…but remember this: you're only going to get one shot at life so you should do what you can with it. Okay, so this place and your life at the Hinatasou may not be perfect, but do you really think you would fare better anywhere else?"

Keitaro shook his head. "No, but I stay for the sake of things that will probably never happen, and if I stay I get to see everything I ever wished for being whisked away from me, by the hands of others or otherwise. I just don't think I could face that without going insane…and, as I said, it would probably be an improvement to all the other tenants' lives if I made my own life suck and just left. I'd do that for them in a heartbeat. Shinobu told me she wouldn't be able to stand it…but I really think she was just overreacting a bit. She'll be okay…better, without me around."

Haruka glared at him. "Don't ever talk that way about yourself again, Keitaro." she growled. "Do you really think you haven't done any good around here?! Because of you, Motoko appeased her sister and regained her confidence…"

"And it was me who got her in hot water with her sister in the first place because of that hot springs incident."

Haruka ground her teeth lightly, but she continued. "Because of you, Shinobu was saved from being hurt by her parents and their divorce…"

"And instead she gets to be hurt because I get hurt and confide in her."

"Because of you, Su was able to get out of an arranged marriage she didn't want and was allowed to stay here…"

"And it was my fault that she almost died during her moonlight transformations because of my resemblance to her brother."

Haruka stood up. "Because of you, Naru has a home away from the family that gives her trouble! She has other ambitions in her life besides Toudai thanks to your influence!"

"And is that even right? She should make up with her family and go home! Moreover, my interference in her life shouldn't even have happened. She deserves, and now she's got, better than me! She's made it clear that I'm not necessary anymore, she's got a replacement, and my new role in her life is now the hated live-in punching bag!" Keitaro's voice had also risen, and he was standing, facing Haruka.

Seething at her nephew's stubbornness, Haruka drew back.

_CRACK!_ Keitaro fell over onto his backside, his cheek reddened from the impact of Haruka's palm. She walked around the table and stood over him with her eyes burning.

"You're pathetic, Keitaro." she said, shaking her head. "If you're even going to argue with someone who's trying to help you, perhaps it would be best if you left after all…as in now!" She pointed to the door.

Keitaro lay at her feet, staring for a moment at his for once visibly annoyed aunt before picking himself up. Without another word, he turned towards the door and started walking, his face expressionless.

Haruka's jaw fell open as her rage dissipated at the expression on his face.

_Keitaro…no…what have I done?!_

"Wait." she choked, barely able to keep her voice in monotone as her nephew stalked towards the door.

He halted with his back turned to her.

"…I didn't mean that, Keitaro…I'm sorry…but please, think about all I've said…we all need you here…especially me."

Keitaro did not look back. He walked out the doorway and vanished into the night.

Haruka sighed, physically and mentally worn out.

She turned and looked at the sake bottle still sitting on the table. She walked over and picked it up, staring at the label. She walked to the sink behind the counter.

"As I thought…doesn't work after all…" she mused, tipping the bottle and pouring the remaining sake down the sink.

------------------------------------

"Sir?"

"I keep asking you not to call me that. I came to see you off. So you're all set?"

"Yup."

"Quickly in and quickly out. No hanging around for anything, alright?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. Well, you can leave anytime then."

"One thing?"

"Shoot."

"We just might have to poke a few egos."

"What? Why?"

"Uncooperativeness, violence, paranoia…stuff like that."

"You should've told me that earlier. I'm giving you one last warning to reconsider."

"…"

"Fine, then get outta here before I change my mind about letting this slip."

"Heh heh, yes si-…er, mate."

------------------------------------

Mutsumi sat under the stars on the balcony of her lodge overlooking the city of Hinata. She sat in the pose of a woman with much behind her eyes…her legs crossed, her arms resting beside her waist and her head up looking out over the world. The blanket of the twilight spread like a deep blue flood over the sky as she sat in silence.

She sighed. It had been too long since she had seen a decent twilight. It was rare in this part of Japan to see any twilight. Night dawned quickly, and the twilight was usually just a quiet blue flash before the stars peeked out of the sky. Twilight, she thought, was a beautiful thing. Rare, wonderful, calming, and undeniably addictive.

_Like something else was._

Mutsumi sighed and slumped over in her seat, her eyes open and glistening as she looked down. For the last two weeks, she had tried to forget her feelings. She had tried to convince herself that her feelings for Keitaro had to change, and that she didn't really feel as much for him as she thought she did.

But no, Mutsumi knew now that her feelings were as they always had been. Firm, strong, and unshakeable. The only thing which had ever made her want to try to turn him away was the one thing Mutsumi had promised herself she would never feel: jealousy. Jealousy of his love for Naru.

Mutsumi mentally reprimanded herself for ever doing such a thing. She should have known that it would only make things more difficult for the one she cared about. She felt sick to the pit of her stomach at the idea that maybe he must've thought she didn't want him anymore.

_Kei-kun…_

She reached out to her side table for her glass of sake…before remembering she had run out again. Sighing, she withdrew her hand.

_This…this is wrong. I shouldn't be drinking like this. It won't solve anything._

_Kei-kun…I wish I hadn't said that to you. I thought that being alone would help me to realize that you couldn't always be there, and the sooner I accepted that, the better. But now, I see…that was the wrong thing to do…not having you in my life at all couldn't possibly be better than having you even as what I can't touch._

Mutsumi's memory of his face as he left her apartment two weeks ago returned with a vengeance, and she felt the now-familiar wrench inside of her as she tried to imagine what she had made him feel at that point. A single tear rolled down her cheek at the thought, and she feared that now he hated her.

She stood up.

_This is all wrong. I may be hopeless, and I may be crazy, but I'm going to the Hinatasou, and I'm going to beg him to forgive me and be with me. He'll say no for Naru-san's sake, and then we'll be friends again, and I'll still pursue him in spite of that. Any other way is just too painful to face. If I have to chase the same rainbows forever, so be it._

_Or will he say no for Naru's sake? Who knows what has happened since we last talked? Who knows…after what happened before, he may want to be with me now._

She shook her head again, slightly ashamed of herself for wanting to believe that the relationship between her two best friends, Keitaro and Naru had not been healed, but rather completely disintegrated. There definitely was no chance of that. If she knew Keitaro…he would have worked his magic and healed the rift by now.

But still, Otohime Mutsumi knew what she had to do.

She left that balcony and went inside to get her coat.

_I've missed you so much, my Kei-kun…_

------------------------------------

"BAKA!"

The other residents of the Hinatasou dismissed, for a moment, the violent exclamation and the crack of the Naru-punch that followed as a usual occurrence in the place before they all suddenly remembered that the two ronins usually involved in it were doing their best to ignore each other.

Kitsune groaned. _Oh no. This has got to mean trouble._

She ran up the stairs to the second floor, dimly aware of the other residents following her. She rounded the corner and saw it.

Keitaro was crushed upside down into a deep crack in the wall, and Naru, pulsing with a fierce red battle aura, was standing over him, but what disturbed Kitsune the most about the whole scene was the tears running down Naru's cheeks.

"BAKA!" Naru screamed again, the hint of a sob lying behind her voice. She kicked out at his head, and the impact shoved Keitaro out of his crevice in the wall and several metres back along the corridor.

Kitsune grimaced and looked around half-expectantly.

_Well, at least he's lucky Motoko isn't here._

Keitaro got up, and Kitsune groaned. He looked absolutely livid. She could see the rage behind his eyes and she knew that the days when he was going to cower before her and beg forgiveness were long past. His feelings had shrivelled, or at least that was the way it was looking. He had the look of a man with nothing to lose, a man whose world was gone.

"I didn't do anything to you!" he shouted at Naru.

Naru ran to him and socked him again, but this time, amazingly, Keitaro planted his hands on the floor and sat still as his head rocked on his shoulders.

Naru, seeming to be wild with grief, struck him again, again, and again, but she seemed more bent on wild striking now rather than actually sending him flying. Nevertheless, her persistent punching and slapping was crushing Keitaro into the floor.

"Because of you, Kouji doesn't want to see me anymore!" Naru snarled, blackening Keitaro's eye. "How could you do this to me?!"

"Narusegawa, I didn't do anyth..."

"SHUT UP!" Naru screamed, emphasizing the command with another punch in the face as the tears ran down her face. "Whether you tried or not, you got in the way! You're _always_ in the way! Why don't you just do us all a favour and leave…or better yet, do the world a favour and jump off a cliff! You can stay out of our lives, and that way you won't mess anything up for us anymore. Just get out of here! Get out of my…our lives! And never come back! No-one will be happy to see you come back! Just…"

Naru seemed to wilt slightly as the last of her rage seemed to give way to her despair. "…just…just…" She shook her head finally. "Just disappear…"

She turned, still crying, and stormed over to the four stunned tenants. Even Su and Sara were staring with their mouths wide open, and Kitsune, with her eyes completely open and staring, looked past Naru at the bloody pulp of Keitaro on the floor.

"Sempai!"

Shinobu, crying uncontrollably at what she had just seen, tried to run over to him, but Naru reached out and grabbed her by the collar.

"D-don't g-go near him, Shinobu-chan!" Naru choked out through her tears. "He doesn't deserve you…"

"Let go of me!" Shinobu struggled against Naru's grip until the older girl spun her around and slapped her hard across the cheek.

"I SAID DON'T GO NEAR HIM!" Naru bellowed into Shinobu's teary face.

She then seized the red-cheeked Shinobu and pushed her and the other residents back towards the stairs.

"Come on, Kitsune!" Naru growled, pushing the fox girl onto the first step. "And anyone who so much as goes within ten feet of that pervert will answer to me! He doesn't deserve us!" She made sure her voice was loud enough so that Keitaro could hear it.

Kitsune looked back at the shattered ronin on the floor. She dared not go to him with Naru's present state, as she would likely send both her and Keitaro flying if she tried.

_Keitaro…_

------------------------------------

Broken and bleeding in the face and feeling dead inside, Keitaro dragged himself into his room and fell across his futon. The blood stained his pillow, but he was beyond caring.

The world was spinning, from both the battering his face had taken and the emotional turmoil which threatened to rip him apart.

_All gone. All gone now._

In that moment, he felt ready to simply melt into the futon, and melt into it he did.

The world around him was black. It was cool and still around him and he could not feel himself. There was no thinking, no feeling. Only the complete calm.

Suddenly, he was aware of himself again.

He was floating…floating in the nothingness.

He saw it. A pinprick golden light in the distance.

It drew closer…and closer.

The second time he saw it, he was not afraid.

_I have come. Fear not. Your rebirth draws near, and all will be revealed._

The great golden bird stretched out its wings before him, the warmth of the creature's aura washing over him.

_Call to me, Urashima…call, and I will find you._

_CRASH! CRACK!_

Suddenly, there was an enormous clatter and the sound of wood being slammed from downstairs, and Keitaro bolted out of his dream and upright on his futon.

He raised his hand weakly.

"I-in here!" he croaked in a broken voice. "I'm in here! Help me!"

------------------------------------

Shinobu wasn't entirely how they'd done it, but the crack of the door at the entrance from its rebound against the wall didn't bode well.

She stood staring, tears still streaming down her face, at the black-clad strangers pouring into their home through the front door. They were masked and almost none of their skin was exposed beneath the tight black body suits. Naru, Kitsune, Su, and Sara all backed up against the wall.

"Shinobu-chan! Get back!" Naru, who had just been seething in abject fury, now stood staring in horror at the intruders, clearly not doubting they were criminals of some sort.

Shinobu started backwards, terrified, as more figures, about ten in all, came through the open doorway and spilled into the hall.

_Auuu, if only Motoko-san was here…_

"Su-chan! Don't you have a mecha-tama somewhere?" Naru's eyes were darting around wildly.

Su looked at the older girl and shook her head, managing to look slightly concerned herself.

"Get into the kitchen!" Naru shouted, ushering the other girls out wildly. They all went into the next room as the last of the figures stepped into the hall. Shinobu peeked around the corner, watching them.

"**They ran. Pity.**" One of the figures said in English, a language Shinobu had studied but not yet mastered.

"Watch it now. We don't make any trouble, remember?" The one next to him, who seemed to be the leader, said in response in Japanese. Ha had raised his voice, it seemed, so the girls would hear him.

The first one stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "**I guess not.**"

"**Good.**"

"**So then, where is he?**"

The second one seemed to listen for a moment.

"**Our objective is upstairs. I'll go get him.**"

_Sempai!_ Shinobu's eyes widened in horror as she realized, from what she understood, that he meant Keitaro. She heard the beat of the leader running up the staircase.

She tried to run back into the hall to confront them, but Kitsune grabbed the back of her sweater. "Nothin' you can do agains' them, kid. Stay put. Naru's got th' police on th' line. They migh' get here in time."

Shinobu struggled, and then she stopped as she heard one of the men in the hall speak again. A new voice.

"**See there? They're looking at us. Well…**Just stay where you are and no trouble!" he shouted to the girls through the doorway, ending his sentence in Japanese.

"What d'you wan' from us?" Kitsune called through the doorway.

"Nothing…" the speaker responded after a few moments. "We're not armed. We didn't come here to hold up the place or anything."

Then the leader's voice came down the staircase. "**I've got him. Give me a hand here.**"

Shinobu, swallowing her fear, stepped into the doorway and walked out towards the figures. Behind her, she was dimly aware of the others following as the masked strangers watched them. Not one of them moved a muscle.

"G-get out of here…now!" Naru demanded, shaking her fist at the black-clad men.

One of the figures growled and made to step forward, but the one next to him grabbed his arm and shook his head frantically. He then turned back to the girls.

"We're leaving, don't worry. No reason to hang around. **Here he comes**." The figure pointed up at the staircase, and his fellows followed his finger.

Shinobu looked up at where the man was pointing.

Her heart skipped a beat.

One of the black-clad men was carrying a dazed and barely conscious Keitaro in his arms as he descended the stairs.

Shinobu, without thinking, screamed. "Sempai! What have you done to him?!"

The leader holding Keitaro halted at the foot of the stairs and turned his head to face the girls. The mindless mask he wore showed no expression, but his movements looked angry. His eyes rested on Shinobu for a moment, and then he looked over her head at the other tenants behind her.

"The question is…what have you done to him?" he said. Then he turned to the other black-clads. He muttered something quietly and they started towards the door.

"Sempai!" Shinobu screamed again as she saw him being borne out by the strangers.

"Keitaro!" Kitsune started forward, reaching out futilely, her eyes completely open.

"Let him go!" Su shouted with a height of fury in her voice that Shinobu had never heard before. "I won't let you take Keitaro away!" She made to run at them, but Naru grabbed the back of her shirt and held her in place.

"Leave it, Su-chan!" she growled in an icy voice. "If they're here for him, I say good riddance!"

But Su did not stop struggling. She pulled out of Naru's grip and jumped straight for the leader, who had just handed Keitaro to one of his fellows outside. He turned and saw the islander princess descending towards him. Su tried to kick him, but the leader grabbed her and twisted over backwards, pinning her to the floor.

"Stop struggling, Su-chan!" he said to her as she writhed beneath his arms. "I don't want to hurt you. He's in good hands. He won't be harmed."

Shinobu froze in her dash, staring down at the leader holding the struggling Su. The man knew her name…and Shinobu remembered that she had only ever seen one person pin Su like that.

Her eyes widened.

_IT'S HIM!!!_

The leader jerked his head up as though he had heard Shinobu's thought. He released Su, who backed off in surprise, and walked over to Shinobu as the other remaining strangers ran out the door, taking Keitaro with them.

Shinobu stood still, no longer fearing him. He bent close to her ear.

"Don't worry about him, Shinobu-chan. You know he needs this. You'll see him again." he whispered.

The leader then straightened and ran out of the door after his fellows before the tenants' stunned eyes.

He stopped briefly on the cobblestones outside the building as they watched.

He bowed.

Then he turned and ran down the steps.

------------------------------------

Keitaro was dimly aware of being carried out of the building and down the steps of the Hinatasou.

"Wh-who are you?" he croaked, opening his eyes briefly to stare at the masked man's face before him. The man did not look at him or reply.

_It doesn't matter_, Keitaro thought, closing his eyes again. _I just don't want this anymore. I must forget everything. I must…disappear. They can do want they want to me. It wouldn't matter. Nothing matters anymore._

He opened his eyes again as he felt the tears slipping down his cheeks. He saw the starry night sky above. Oh, how he wished he could just fall into it and be lost forever.

He then saw it. The golden bird once again. It rested on what looked like a diagonal steel wall in his sight. He then saw another masked face over him, staring down at him. The head then came closer, and Keitaro realized this man was carrying him now. He looked up and shouted, though Keitaro couldn't hear what he said over the roar of the engine he was now aware of.

The world jumped into darkness for a moment, and Keitaro then craned his head to see himself placed on a bed inside a room. He could feel the rumble of the room around him.

_I'm inside something. We're moving. Where are we going?_

Keitaro turned his head further, grimacing from the pain, and stared at the masked face of the man sitting beside him. The world was swiftly sinking into darkness again.

"Wh-what are you doing?" he managed to say as he closed his eyes.

A familiar voice responded.

"What I should've done the first time I saw you, Keitaro…"

------------------------------------

The stunned Naru, Shinobu, Kitsune, Su, and Sara watched as the enormous helicopter lifted off and sped away, carrying Keitaro with it.

They looked on until it was out of sight.

Then they suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

Mutsumi climbed the last few steps and appeared before them.

"Where is my Kei-kun?" she asked.

------------------------------------

Author: Bong-da-bum-bum There you have it! Who were those masked men? And where have they taken Keitaro? Please R&R.

Again, sorry it took me so long to update. Been very busy. In any case, I plan for one more short chapter in Part I of this story. That should be up soon. Then we get Part II and get into the real meat of the story with many mysteries revealed to the anxious readers…I hope.

As always, until then, please R&R. All your opinions are appreciated (minus flames, of course). I'll try to update more often from now on. Peace.

Jim'Van


	6. Gone For Good

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina or anything related to it. I do, however, own any other characters in this story unless I specify otherwise. Love Hina is the property of Ken Akamatsu and associates and of TokyoPop and TVTokyo. I wish Love Hina did belong to me so I didn't have to write these annoying formalities at the start of each chapter. Ah well, it's nice to dream.

Author: To make up for the lateness of my last chapter, I'm giving you this short one to finish Part I of the story now. When we last left the Hinata crew, Keitaro had been mysteriously whisked away by a group of intruders into the Hinatasou after having his face broken by Naru. Mutsumi, who had been on her way to him to apologize, had missed him by mere moments, and now Keitaro believes he has nothing. Where will he go from here? We'll find out soon enough. At any rate, it doesn't seem like the ones who took him away intended to do him harm. Then what do they have planned for Keitaro?

* * *

Love Hina: The Exiles

Chapter 6: Gone For Good

**Three weeks later…**

"Where is he?! Answer me!"

Naru, tears running down her cheeks, glared at the person before her.

The boy merely shrugged and made to step around her, but she stepped into his path.

"Where is he!? What have you done to him?" Naru's hard tone was crumbling fast and threatening to give way to the sobs in the back of her throat.

The boy looked at her coldly. "Where you can't find him."

Naru, in spite of herself, sobbed. "Why do you keep him from us? I know he wants to come back! You have no right to keep him from coming home! Bring him back!"

"He doesn't want to come back." His level, matter-of-fact tone cracked the last of Naru's resolve and she could feel herself starting to heave as her breathing wracked her shoulders. "Y-you're…you're lying!"

"Why would I do that?" The young gaijin kept glaring at her. "Now get out of the way! You've already made life miserable for him and made it clear you don't want him here…and don't go getting any funny ideas and end up hurting him further, or you'll lose whatever respect he may have left for you."

Naru cried out at his words. She didn't want to believe it, yet she knew it was true. She could sense the other tenants, behind her, watching with amazed, grief-stricken eyes.

"I didn't mean it…" Naru moaned through her tears, slumping to her knees. "…I didn't mean it. Please…bring him back."

Kurt'kai shook his head. "I already said he doesn't want it…and what's more, he told me he didn't care if you or the others were sorry at all. He's not coming back in any case."

"N-no…it's you! You won't let him come back!" Naru growled and stood, seizing the first denial in her mind and pointing an accusing finger at the gaijin before her. "You took him away and you've imprisoned him! You kidnapped him!"

Kurt'kai did little but frown. After a moment, he shook his head, more in disgust and exasperation, she felt, than anything else. "Kidnapped him? Narusegawa, when I found him there, lying on the floor of his room, half-dead by your hand, he was crying and screaming out for help from someone, anyone! If that's the case, you might call what I did 'kidnapping', but I, and most other people with brains, would call it 'rescuing'. What would you have done if we hadn't taken him away? I'll tell you what, you would've hurt him even more…and then you would expect him to just lie back and forget it without even as much as a humble apology on your part, and if he refused to do that, more pain from you!"

Naru's vision crumbled to ashes on the spot at his words, and she fell over, sobbing and clutching her face. She knew what he said made perfect sense, and she tore at her own face in punishment, hoping with all her being that it would bring him back.

Kurt'kai stared at her with a patronizing look in his glowing eyes before looking over her sobbing form at the other tenants, minus Motoko who was still away.

"Do you all understand? Any one of you could have reached out and saved him from what I had to do…what was necessary to keep him alive. Any one of you could have given him a reason to go on…but you didn't. Do you know why? Each and every one of you was too proud…too proud to risk showing any affection for the man before others. You considered yourselves above him and hated the idea of having to deal with others' suspicions about your feelings for him. Yes, even you, Sara…"

Naru, Kitsune, Su, Sara, and Shinobu all flinched visibly and cast down their eyes in guilt as Kurt'kai's words did their harsh work on them. No-one could deny he was right.

"He could've had a good friend or lover in you, Narusegawa, or you, Konno-san, or even Aoyama-san. He could've had a little sister in you, Sara, but you were too proud to let yourself get that close. Su and Shinobu, thank you for everything you gave him, but he needs more. His faith is just gone, and now only I can give that back to him…give him the opportunity he needs to be pulled back from his hell…I just hope you all learned something from this…"

He waved the deed to the Hinatasou in the air as the tenants watched in stunned silence. "He wanted me to get this. He needs it."

The glowing-eyed gaijin turned, the deed in his hand, to leave out the front door, but Naru reached out and caught his ankle.

"Please!" she cried, tears streaming down her eyes.

Kurt'kai turned and looked down at her. He seemed to look at her with pity for a moment, but then he straightened and shook his head.

"No, Narusegawa-san. I'm afraid it's too late for you. Even if he came back now…" Kurt'kai's eyes flickered. "…he wouldn't be the same Urashima Keitaro you knew. That Keitaro is gone…and can never be brought back."

"What-what are you doing to him?" Shinobu asked timidly, her own tears streaming down her cheeks.

Kurt'kai looked at her, worry evident in his expression. Of all the Hinatasou tenants, he seemed to consider Shinobu the only one he could speak openly to.

"We're not forcing him into anything, Shinobu-chan." He said slowly. "Everything is of his own free will. Remember that."

Suddenly, there were footsteps from outside. Everyone turned towards the door, and saw, to their surprise, Motoko, closing the distance between her and them fast.

"YOU!" she bellowed at Kurt'kai, sprinting towards him with her sword in her hand and a wild fire in her eyes. "YOU…MONSTER!"

Kurt'kai twisted and jumped away as Motoko slashed at the air where he had just been standing.

"You again, kendo girl?"

"Blast you, you vile creature!" Motoko snarled, raising her sword again. "How dare you defile our home with your presence again?!"

"I'm here on a favor for your dear kanrinin actually." Kurt'kai said coldly, his eyes once again darkening to an almost blackish color at Motoko's attitude. "He's gone from here. He deserves a better chance at life."

"You lie!" Motoko growled. "You dishonorable creatures are all liars. My _ki_ attack will may not harm you, but, abomination or not, the taste of cold steel will still kill you! Prepare yourself! _Kyaaah!_"

Motoko took a spinning leap through the air and swung her sword down at the blue-eyed boy.

Everyone else looked on in horror as the blade arced through the air. Motoko had never actually attempted to slash anyone's flesh before.

Time seemed to slow as the blade neared him.

Kurt'kai, almost casually it seemed, caught the blade of Motoko's sword between his palms, and with a brief shrug of his shoulders, snapped it in two.

Motoko stared, her eyes wide with horror.

"No…" she gazed down at the broken blade of her sword, her voice laced with disbelief. "No!"

"I'm afraid so…" Kurt'kai replied, sighing. He reached into his coat pocket and calmly flicked a pinch of silvery powder into Motoko's face. Her awestruck expression suddenly gave way to a drowsy one, and she slumped to the floor, breathing lightly.

Kurt'kai straightened and stepped out the front doorway over Motoko's sleeping form. "When she wakes up, she might just want to sing for a while. Don't worry. It's nothing abnormal after that."

And with that, he began to walk down the steps.

Suddenly…

"Wait!"

Shinobu ran after him, shrugging off Kitsune's hand when she tried to grab her.

Kurt'kai stopped and turned slowly to see Shinobu. His eyes glowed blue as she approached him.

Shinobu walked up to him. She slowly raised her eyes and met his gaze.

"C-can I…come with you?"

* * *

**End of Part I**

Author: Whew! Another update. As usual, please R&R. Expect Part II to begin in a while. I'm overdue for an update on my other fic already, so got to deal with that first. A warning to the readers that Part II will introduce new characters and plot lines. We'll see where Keitaro has gone, and what has happened, or rather will happen, to him. The Hinata girls will still be playing a great part in the story though, of course. Their part in this saga is far from over. Until next time, love you all, readers. Happy holidays!

Jim'Van


	7. Hoshimoto

Disclaimer: I absolutely, positively, and inarguably do not own Love Hina! I undeniably, undisputedly, and certainly do not own any of its characters. I do, however, utterly and completely own any other characters in this story unless specifically, accurately, and clearly stated otherwise. I think I drank too much coffee…

Author: Hey there. I'm not dead, just so you know. Back after a short vacation and getting to grips with my new job to give you the eagerly-awaited (I hope) update. When we last left the Hinatasou, Keitaro had been taken away by a group of black-clad, English-speaking strangers with who the girls recognized as Kurt'kai. In a brief move-forward, we saw Kurt'kai drop by the Hinatasou three weeks later for the deed to the Hinatasou at Keitaro's request. Now, we will turn back the clock and see just what happened to Keitaro after he was taken away. I hope you all enjoy this, and thank you all for the wonderful reviews. It's nice to know my work is appreciated.

* * *

Love Hina: The Exiles

Part II

Chapter 7: Hoshimoto

_Where am I?_

Keitaro opened his eyes slowly, his vision un-blurring as his eyes adjusted to the light. He was lying in a small bed, dressed in a thin blue-grey kimono, the white sheets covering him up to his chest. He was dimly aware of the feel of sunlight on his face and a window nearby letting in the shining morning light.

Keitaro, finding the strength, lifted his arm to his face and felt soft bandages plastered to his nose, cheeks and temples, covering the cuts and bruises Naru had given him. He squinted as the world refused to come completely into focus, and remembered his glasses. Where were they?

"You're awake, I see…" said a light, echoing feminine voice from somewhere. "Here are your glasses. I'll go get your friend…" Keitaro felt someone pressing the frames of his glasses into his hands, and then heard retreating footsteps. Keitaro turned his head, and could just make out, barely, a flash of yellow heading out of a doorway.

Grunting as he tried to get his muscles to work again, Keitaro slowly put on his glasses and looked around. He was in a small, white room, with the window just above him filtering morning sunlight into the room. There was a long, black leather couch on the wall opposite beside a doorway, and an open door which Keitaro could see led to a bathroom, and when Keitaro looked up he noticed the bed he was lying in was actually an elaborate one with expensive-looking woodwork adorning the frame. There were pictures of rainforest landscape adorning the walls around him, and somewhere in the distance, Keitaro thought he heard something like the sound of running water.

Suddenly, he was aware of the sound of voices talking lowly just outside the room, and he craned his head to look at the doorway he had just seen someone go through.

There was silence for a moment…and then Kurt'kai walked into the room. Keitaro gasped and sat up in the bed as Kurt'kai approached him, smiling and carrying a tray of food. He was wearing a plain black T-shirt and blue jeans, his dark brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. He walked up to the bed and sat down in the wooden chair beside Keitaro's bed. He placed the food tray in Keitaro's lap as he stared.

Neither of them said anything for a minute. Kurt'kai merely sat there, gazing down at the floor, while Keitaro just looked at him.

"…Well, Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said finally in his accented Japanese. "…welcome back to the land of the living."

Keitaro sat still for a moment before putting a hand to his head. "How long was I out?" he asked slowly. "A couple of hours?"

"A day and a half…" the gaijin boy replied, turning his head to look at Keitaro. "You slept like the dead. Must've really got into your work to just snore like a thunderstorm for all that time…or did you?"

Keitaro fell silent, his face falling as the memory of what had happened returned with a vengeance. Naru's betrayal, Mutsumi's rejection, Haruka's denial, and then finally Naru's beating, the reason for the bandages currently on his face. Then the dark masked faces and the machine carrying him away.

"Where am I?" Keitaro asked. "Where did you take me?"

Kurt'kai leaned back and sighed, folding his arms behind his head. 'Well…I can do better than tell you, Keitaro. I can show you…as soon as you've rested up. For now, just take it easy. You've been through a lot of stress these last few days."

Keitaro shook his head. "I can't. Not with what just happened. And you can't just expect me to sleep if I don't even know where I am."

Kurt'kai sighed again. "True…alright, Keitaro…but there's only so much I can tell you at the moment. You're in the home of my people."

"Your people?"

Kurt'kai nodded. "Long story…and something of a secret. Oh, we're still in Japan, but a long, long way from Kanagawa. Rest easy, Keitaro. No-one's going to disturb you. You're safe here." He stood up, looking ahead.

"Eat and sleep if you want, my friend. Or just rest until you feel better. Think things over all you like. I know you must have a lot on your mind. I'll be back in a while. Got to tell some people you're awake…" Kurt'kai walked out the doorway and closed the door behind him quietly.

Keitaro leaned back onto his pillow, staring at the white ceiling. What surprised him was that the ceiling was high and had a look of fresh white plaster. It was rare these days to see bedrooms so tall in Japan, and that kind of architecture, at least in the cities, was even rarer.

Keitaro's attention turned back to the food tray before him as his stomach growled. Keitaro was suddenly aware he was ravenous. Kurt'kai said he'd been out for a while, and now Keitaro wondered how he'd been able to go those few minutes of wakefulness without noticing it. He tucked into the food: rice, miso, fresh fish, and vegetables. It wasn't nearly as good as Shinobu's cooking, but it tasted heavenly all the same to the starved ronin.

Indeed, he was starved for more than food. He was hungry to know where he was, what had gone wrong, and just how this had happened. He was hungry because he wanted to try and fill the deep void within himself he had been feeling over the last two weeks.

So he stuffed himself. He knew that this food wouldn't answer his questions and fill his mind's stomach, but at least it would help him wait.

He chomped away at the fish, wincing as he noticed the smarting bruise on his jaw flaring up whenever he opened wide.

_Why do I-…Narusegawa…_

Keitaro sighed and felt his eyes start to brim. His appetite left him as quickly as it came. He set down the chopsticks and put aside the tray on the chair. He leaned back again and closed his eyes.

_I remember it all now._

Keitaro remembered. The shock, the anger, the scream in her voice as she pummeled him into Urashima paste. The words she had screamed at him.

"_Whether you tried or not, you got in the way! You're always in the way! Why don't you just do us all a favour and leave…or better yet, do the world a favour and jump off a cliff!"_

Keitaro shook his head.

It was over. He couldn't go back to the Hinatasou now. Too much pain.

_I guess my time's up,_ he thought. _Oh well, I can't pretend I didn't think this was going to happen. Now that I think about it, I should've expected this._

It was a while of drifting silence before Keitaro felt aware of someone tapping him lightly on the arm. He opened his eyes to see Kurt'kai standing over him, smiling slightly.

"Still didn't get enough sleep, eh?" Kurt'kai sat beside him in the chair. Keitaro noticed someone had taken the tray away.

"I don't blame you really, Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said. "I probably would have been out of it for a while too if I had to go through what you must've been through before I came for you…"

At those words, Keitaro snapped his head up and stared at the gaijin.

Kurt'kai turned his head and looked at him. "So tell me, Keitaro, what happened? You were busted up pretty badly when I found you…" His glowing eyes flickered.

Keitaro's curiosity flared up. This gaijin, this boy, had suddenly come from out of nowhere and taken him away from Hinatasou. But how? And why?

"I…I want you to tell me something first…" Keitaro said slowly.

Kurt'kai nodded as if he had expected that. "Go on."

"You somehow, I don't know how, got me out of Hinatasou with those masked men, and you brought me to this place. You're…not just a gaijin student, are you? You-you said you were a journalist looking for an interview at Hinatasou, and you acted like you didn't know me at first…but…I think, you already knew who I was, and where I was living. Why did you hide this from me?"

Kurt'kai slowly nodded again. "Yes, you're right. I already knew who you were long before we ever met, Keitaro. And yes, I'm not your common gaijin expatriate either…but I can explain that to you better later. I had heard of you a long time ago, and I knew all about your situation in Hinatasou…but I wasn't aware of how bad it must have been for you until I actually visited the place…" Kurt'kai smirked. "I didn't see how you could've been a Caller, Keitaro. I thought a guy living in an all-girls dorm full of beautiful women would've been the happiest man on earth. But that all changed when I went there myself…"

Keitaro raised one eyebrow. "Caller?"

Kurt'kai waved his hand dismissively. "Again, it'd be better if I explained all that later. For now, yes, I've had an interest in you for a long time, Keitaro. I brought you here because…it was my duty."

Keitaro's head was spinning. Nothing of what Kurt'kai was saying was making any sense to him. Why on earth would anyone have been investigating _him_? Even more so, what duty _did_ this gaijin boy have?

_If this keeps up, I might just lose my mind…_ Keitaro groaned and buried his face in his hands. Kurt'kai glanced at him and stood up again.

"Ah…I know this must be confusing for you, Keitaro. As soon as you feel well enough, we can go for a walk and I'll explain everything. I'm going away for a while again. Think about what I've said. When you feel okay, just ask for me."

Keitaro didn't say anything as Kurt'kai stood and left again.

* * *

After a while, he sat up and swung his legs out of the bed and onto the floor, sighing at the feel of the lush blue carpet on his bare toes. He stood beside the bed and stretched, and, unable to bear it, bent his knees and squatted before standing up again. He looked around and spotted his clothes, neatly folded on top of a table at the end of his bed. Keitaro's face suddenly felt warm as he realized someone had to have taken them off him to put him in the robe. Willing himself to stay calm, he pulled off the kimono and put them on quickly. Hesitating for a moment, he slowly touched the pads on his nose and cheeks again and decided to leave them there when he felt the sting.

There was a knock on the door.

"Ah…come in…" Keitaro said uncertainly.

The door swung open, and Kurt'kai walked in again, smiling. His glowing eyes flickered when he saw Keitaro was out of bed.

"Well…Keitaro…would you like to take a look around?" he asked.

Keitaro nodded, his curiosity suddenly flaring.

Kurt'kai nodded back, and turned, beckoning Keitaro to follow him. He hurried after the gaijin as he walked out the doorway.

They emerged into a long corridor with walls made of thick white plaster, with a pillar-set wall design that faintly reminded Keitaro of the pictures he had seen of European villas. But the walls were bare, there were no pictures or tapestries hanging from the as he had seen in the books. The only light in the hallway came from shining light bulbs set into candle sconces on the walls.

Keitaro gasped at the sight, and Kurt'kai turned to look at him and grinned as they walked. They passed several plain wooden doors as Kurt'kai led him to the end of the corridor, where a set of brown double doors rested under a plaster archway.

They stopped before it. Kurt'kai turned his head to Keitaro, smiling. He clapped him on the shoulder. "Try not to faint, Keitaro."

He took hold of the elaborate long handles and began to pull. A crack appeared between the doors, letting in a narrow stream of sunlight. The doors slowly gave way, not a creak sounding in the hinges.

The sunlight suddenly flared through the open doorway. Keitaro covered his eyes to shield them.

"Welcome, Keitaro." Kurt'kai said slowly from beside him, letting his hands fall back to his sides.

Keitaro slowly lowered his hands and gasped, his mouth dropping open as he beheld the sight before him.

Beyond the doors lay two large white pillars opening into what looked like ancient Roman villa railings upon a narrow patio of white stone. The railing opened before them with the end of the archway to a long green courtyard. All around the courtyard were large white villa buildings with red tiled roofs. Stained glass windows winked back the sunlight from the walls. All around in the distance lay the snow-capped peaks of mountains enclosing this place.

But what surprised Keitaro the most was the large white fountain in the centre of the courtyard. The dais in the centre…

Keitaro stared, trembling.

_The bird…_

The magnificent stone carving of the bird had its wings spread wide and its head lifted high to spray a fine line of water back into the fountain. Its eyes looked open and aware as rivulets of water ran under their sockets. The bird cried, but it was happy.

He was suddenly aware of Kurt'kai speaking again.

"Welcome, Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said quietly. "…to Hoshimoto."

'_Hoshimoto'…star birth…_

Keitaro looked around, hearing the cries of laughter from the end of the courtyard where three boys were playing with a ball.

Kurt'kai beckoned him. "Come along, Keitaro. We need to go see the guy in charge…"

* * *

Keitaro followed Kurt'kai along a narrow white walkway to the next building, a tall white structure sheathed in tree canopies. Keitaro stared around him in awe at the great villas.

_Hoshimoto…just what is this place? And more importantly, WHERE is it?_

Kurt'kai opened the double doors into another long corridor.

"Come in, Keitaro." He stepped in through the doorway and Keitaro followed him.

"Now you're awake, the Leader will want to see you." Kurt'kai explained as they walked along the corridor. "All visitors through Hoshimoto have to see the Leader before they can do anything else…"

"Leader?" Keitaro asked quietly.

Kurt'kai nodded. "The leader of…my people."

They kept walking until they reached the end of the corridor. Another brown set of elaborate wooden double doors graced the entrance at the end. Kurt'kai lifted his arm and rapped sharply on the doors.

"Sir? I'm here with our visitor, Urashima." he called.

Silence for a few moments.

"Come in." A muffled voice answered from behind the doors.

Kurt'kai took the handles and opened the doors. Keitaro could see a small room within with someone sitting at a desk. Kurt'kai walked into the room and Keitaro followed him.

A long wooden desk sat in the middle of the room, backed by an elaborate window filtering sunlight into the room. Pictures of seascape dotted the white-washed walls over the white tile floor, a dark red Persian rug sitting before the desk. In the chair sat a tall young man of about eighteen with short red hair and pale skin. He had his head down, reading something on his desk.

Kurt'kai cleared his throat. "Urashima Keitaro, may I present Jake'shi, the Leader of my people. Sir, this is Urashima Keitaro, the special Caller I reported to you…"

Jake'shi looked up in exasperation. His pale face held a slim mouth with a slightly long nose and long red sideburns down each cheek ending in the stubble of a beard, but his eyes were what caught Keitaro's attention.

They were a deep brown color, lightening and darkening at random, much the same way Kurt'kai's did.

Whatever Kurt'kai was, this Jake'shi obviously was also.

"I keep asking you not to call me 'sir', Kurt'kai…" he said slowly in bad Japanese. His deep voice echoed very loudly and though he had not spoken loud, Keitaro felt his bones quaking at the sound.

Kurt'kai shrugged unconcernedly. "Well, the title is yours, so it just seems appropriate to me."

Jake'shi smiled slightly, though Keitaro thought that was just because he was there. "If you ever became the Leader, Kurt'kai, would you like it if all your best friends called you 'sir'?"

Kurt'kai winced visibly. "Okay, okay, point taken. You should've told me that from the start."

Jake'shi smiled, a real smile this time, and stood up. He was tall, at least a foot taller than either Kurt'kai or Keitaro, and had long, raw-boned limbs. He had the deep chest of a strong man who lifts heavy loads, but his face was honest and showed much intelligence and wit.

Keitaro was awed by this young man who, though he couldn't be older than eighteen, seemed to already have such a sheer presence.

Jake'shi slowly walked around his desk and stood before Keitaro, looking him up and down briefly. He extended his hand. Keitaro, hesitating for a moment, took it and shook it, wincing in pain as the young man squeezed just a trice too tight.

"Welcome to Hoshimoto, Urashima Keitaro." Jake'shi said warmly. He coughed slightly and then spoke again. "I'm sure you must have many questions. About where you are, why we brought you here, and where you go now. I think Kurt'kai here should answer those for you though. I'm afraid I don't have much patience for that kind of thing…"

He sighed, as though he genuinely regretted it. "…but I'm sure all your questions will be answered. Keep in mind though, that there are some things we _can't_ tell you…at least, not yet. Our position in this country is already precarious enough and we must guard some secrets. Can you understand that?"

Keitaro's mind was whirling in confusion, but he nodded. _Precarious? Just _who_ are these people? A terrorist society or something?_ At that notion, Keitaro felt something in his chest constrict.

Jake'shi was suddenly aware of his twitch, and placed his other hand on Keitaro's shoulder. "Now now, no need to get jittery. It's nothing like what you must be thinking…" He smiled slightly. "You are welcome here, and free to stay here for a while if you wish. I'm afraid bringing you here was a risk, as we do not commonly bring people like you here…but, it is our duty."

He glanced sideways at Kurt'kai, letting go of Keitaro's shoulder. "Okay, Kurt'kai, thank you. I think I've seen what I need to see in our new friend here. You were quite right. He's a Caller if there ever was one. Why don't you go fill him in now?"

Kurt'kai nodded. "Of course, si…er, Jake'shi. Are you gonna get busy?"

Jake'shi sighed wearily, his glowing brown eyes darkening slightly the same way Kurt'kai's did. "I'm afraid so. I've gotta go meet a few of our so-called 'supervisors', and have to fend off a few petty accusations for a couple of hours and then swallow all their darned complaints about the budgets and supplies we're getting for another three before actually reaching the time when everyone's tired and finally getting to the point of the meeting…"

Kurt'kai chuckled. "And you wonder why I wouldn't like your job…" he said dryly. "In any case, chin up, man, it's only once in a while, isn't it?"

Jake'shi shook his head slightly. "That's been getting more common recently, Kurt'kai. I think someone might be paying a pretty penny to give us a bit of trouble…" He squared his shoulders and walked back around the desk to sit in his chair. "Well, good luck, gentlemen. Enjoy your stay here, Urashima-san."

Kurt'kai nodded and Keitaro managed to do the same. Kurt'kai beckoned Keitaro to follow him and opened the door back into the corridor. Keitaro followed him out.

_Here? I can stay here? Hoshimoto? I still don't know _what_ exactly this place is, let alone where I am. Just who are these people? A group of gaijin with funny eyes and voices and some Roman villas somewhere in the mountains. Are they…outcasts? Criminals, maybe? Or maybe…they're not human! Maybe I've died and gone to the next world! Maybe this is somewhere in heaven and these people are all dead too! Or are they angels? Or demons!_

Kurt'kai heard his moaning and turned, gawping in surprise as he saw Keitaro bouncing off the walls, flailing his arms around in a wild panic.

"I think…" Kurt'kai said slowly, closing his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers and sporting an enormous sweatdrop, "…that I'd better sit you down somewhere, give you a drink, and give you the answers you want now…or I don't know who'll lose his mind first. You or me…"

* * *

Keitaro looked around in wonder as Kurt'kai led him again along a white brick patio towards a squat, slope-roofed building. He shivered slightly. It was cold.

He could see long groves of trees all around, with the snow-capped mountains jutting out over them. He could hear the birds crying from the forest, and the unmistakable rustle of leaves as he saw a small brown animal scampering up into the branches.

Keitaro suddenly squinted to the foot of the forest as a glint in the mountain sunlight caught his eye. There were deep pits sunk into stone near the forest, with large tiles and bamboo shoots around them and the glint of steel piping.

"Are those…hot springs?" Keitaro asked Kurt'kai, pointing to the pits.

Kurt'kai nodded. "Yep. But…we use them for…something else."

Yet another incomplete answer. What on earth could someone possibly use hot springs for besides a hot bath? Some of those stupid water rituals Keitaro had heard about?

Suddenly, there was a sound which startled both young men.

"Myuh!"

Keitaro looked up to see Tama-chan gliding closer to settle down on her master's head. "Tama-chan! Wha-!"

Keitaro suddenly had a dreadful thought and looked around in all directions, expecting to see a group of very irate Hinata girls striding towards him with the intent to kill. The fear was so great that Keitaro actually whimpered in terror and held up his arms defensively. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Kurt'kai stared at him solemnly for a moment before opening his mouth. "It's alright, Keitaro. They're not here."

Keitaro slowly lowered his arms and sighed. "Just what was I thinking!"

Kurt'kai nodded in understanding and patted the older man on the shoulder. "I would never have thought they would've conditioned you into such fear…" His eyes darkened to black and his face twisted into a scowl. "Malice…I think…I should do something about this…"

Keitaro's eyes widened again. "No! Leave them alone!"

Kurt'kai waved his hand. "No, I meant for you, Keitaro, not them. Relax, they're a long way from here and they wouldn't get anywhere close without me or someone else finding out about it a while beforehand."

"I think what we have here…" he said, grinning and reaching up to pet the crooning turtle. "…is a stowaway. This Tama-chan must've got on the chopper we brought you here in."

Keitaro smiled up at his familiar. "You just never stay out of trouble do you, Tama?"

Tama-chan 'stood' up and crossed her front flippers, looking pleased with herself. "Myuh!"

Both men laughed. "I suppose there's no harm in letting a _turtle_ into Hoshimoto…" Kurt'kai chuckled, having already seemed to have taken a liking to Tama-chan. "…even one as extraordinary as you, Tama-chan."

* * *

"So…" Keitaro asked hesitantly as they sat in the open air outside the enormous dining hall near the Hoshimoto main complex, drinking green tea. "What about those answers, Kurt'kai?" Tama-chan flew in circles over their heads.

Kurt'kai had his drink to his lips at that point. He opened one glowing eye and gazed at Keitaro as he gulped down his mouthful. He set down his cup and sighed slightly. The echo in his voice made the sigh sound prolonged.

"Okay, Keitaro…first tell me where you think you are and who you think I am and my kin here are and I'll correct you and tell you the rest. We'll save time that way."

"You're all foreigners, but you live together all the way out here and don't bring people in. You're…rebels, aren't you?" Keitaro asked slowly. "Foreigners who made your own private society."

Kurt'kai nodded slowly. "'Rebels' is probably too strong a word, Keitaro, since we don't act like most rebels…but yes, you're right to an extent…"

"And this is your home, your sanctuary?" Kurt'kai nodded. "How on earth did you manage to get this place?"

Kurt'kai waved his hand. "We made an arrangement and built it ourselves. End of story."

"Sorry."

"No, no offense taken. That's not what I meant. I mean I know it might sound a bit hard to believe."

"Right…but you're not terrorists of any sort?"

Kurt'kai shook his head. "Nope. Far from it. Last thing my people want is violence. We just want to live with others like us and be left alone."

"So you're legal outcasts who immigrated and got your own home then?"

Nod.

"No Japanese among you?"

"A few…but I could count them all on one hand." Kurt'kai smiled at Keitaro. A deep smile which seemed to have something behind it. "Japanese culture is actually quite contradictory of our…way of life, which is why so few Japanese people want to join us here…and besides, bringing in too many Japanese to this place without the proper…reasons…could make the government, who know about us, give us a few dirty looks."

"So are you legal or not?" Keitaro was confused.

"Yes…but we're unofficially expected not to…take away…too many Japanese outcasts." Kurt'kai grinned. "Doesn't matter really. We have counterparts in three other major countries in Asia whom we maintain contact with. They would usually take those few Japanese who do want…our way of life…and the government here can do nothing but stamp their feet and rave. We only do it ourselves in drastic cases…like yours, Keitaro…"

Keitaro's eyes widened. As Kurt'kai gazed directly at his eyes, Keitaro's mind did another twist. _Me! When did I say I'd-_

"You are a Caller, Urashima Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said slowly. "You may not be fully aware of it, but you've wanted a lifestyle like ours for years. We have a way of…detecting that. Which is why I went to find you…"

Keitaro was silent for a few moments. Was it all true? Did he want to…

He finally spoke again. "But just _what_ are you? You've told me _who_ you are, but not what. Your eyes, your voice, that energy you say you absorbed. Everything! Just _what_ are you!"

Kurt'kai stared silently at Keitaro. "I feel I can trust you, Urashima. Very well, I'll tell you what I am…"

"For ages, every one of the tribes of humans that we categorize by the country of residence alone has developed their own cultural norm and ideals. One kind finds another's strange and sometimes vulgar and ridiculous. They trust their own kind and stick with them alone. Even those who leave their own country and live in another stick mostly to their own culture and rarely try to change themselves to fit another race. Even if they do, they could never hope to fully manage it because of the culture of their heritage and childhood so deeply engrained into them. But what about those in between?"

"And I don't mean children of separate races, though they quite often join us too. They absorb the culture they grow up in. I mean, what about those of another race or races who spend many of their childhood years exposed to a different culture and environment while they are young and their minds are still malleable? The children of expatriates like myself, for example? They are different. They know that there is more out there than what they are used to, and that openness of mind at a young age does usually change their psychology as they grow. They may have absorbed some part of another culture and that will have changed them for life too. And then what happens if they ever go back to their own country?"

"These seeds of awareness planted into a child's mind do indeed change him or her, but not everyone sees that as a good thing. Those children are different from those of the same race, and unfortunately I'm afraid that xenophobia can hit very strongly in that case, especially in the less open cultures and in less educated and aware countrymen. Cities with some idea of other cultures aren't so bad, but the ever-conservative countryside is extremely hard for these children. Most countrymen have no or little ridicule for foreign immigrants because they are _supposed_ to be different…but what about one of their own kind who has been and seen and now does things like eat with only his right hand or bow when he comes into a school classroom?"

"They tend to make life hard for these expatriate children, the Destined, we call them. This in turn causes these children to grow to dislike or just plain hate their race and leave them. Leave them, their xenophobia, their malice, and their ignorance..."

Kurt'kai paused. He was snarling slightly, his hands gripping the chair he sat in and his knuckles white. His eyes were a deep black and did not glow.

After a moment, he calmed down and smiled at Keitaro. "Also…there are those…who simply lose all faith in their own country and their people. A man can go through all kinds of stress and hatred and still be prepared to call himself a man of his country, but there are those few who lose all faith and would never have anything to do with their country or their people again, even if still bearing their culture and beliefs. We call them the Callers…callers for help."

"Common expatriates are people from one culture who live in another, and those who hate their people but keep their country and culture are outcasts, but those who throw off their old culture and develop a new one willingly, in a foreign land or otherwise, are something different. They also now _make_ themselves into something different."

"The only ones who can truly accept such people, Keitaro, are others like them, and they eventually all pulled themselves together here in Japan, and gradually, ones like them in other countries all followed suit, building their own society in which racism, prejudice, malice, and all the things they fled from are outlawed. A peaceful, understanding, open-minded society…" Kurt'kai sighed. "Unfortunate for the rest of society that the only people capable of such a thing are those who taste firsthand what evil humanity is capable of…"

"I said we _make_ ourselves different, and yes, I meant it. Not just in a state of mind either. We biologically change ourselves also, just to throw out everything of ourselves that remains…of the old world we lived in."

"The energy that empowers every single human being…the _ki_ some Japanese call it, does indeed exist, Keitaro, and it's all around us. It, like humans, changes depending on the land in which it resides, and different races can only absorb the _ki_ that is native to them. Although the _ki_ of each and every race is present in any one country, Keitaro, it is only a millionth of that country's native _ki_, and so it is difficult for foreigners in any country to subconsciously retain a healthy, powerful level of it. This is the real reason why some expatriates and immigrants become weak or develop mental or health problems outside their native country. Very, very few people are capable of absorbing more than one kind of _ki_, and even those who do usually end up living amongst me and my kind, Keitaro. If a human body and soul tries to absorb an unfamiliar _ki_ type, it normally just spits it back out again…but…"

Kurt'kai sighed again. "I know you wonder about my eyes and my voice, Keitaro, as well as where I and the others got such power…" The gaijin youth looked up directly at Keitaro, the glowing blue of his eyes seeming brighter than ever. "…and the answer is…to rid ourselves of what was left of our former culture and country, and to be able to absorb other kinds of _ki _in the country we fled to…we found a way to make that possible. This…" Kurt'kai pointed to his eyes, "…is the physical change that comes with successfully absorbing biologically incompatible _ki_. The voice too. The power comes from absorbing _a lot_, much more than would be absorbed by a person native to that _ki_…"

"How do we do that, you think? We do it the same way most other biologically impossible body functions occur. We speed it up so it works. We use the same thing that allows your nerves to transmit, we use the same thing that keeps your heart beating and your blood flowing. We use…a catalyst…"

Kurt'kai paused to get his breath back as Keitaro stared at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yes…a catalyst…" Kurt'kai continued, leaning back again. "That's why we can cross the borders others cannot and absorb unfamiliar _ki_, much more of it than any other normal person could, even a native to that _ki_. That is how we survive, that is how we separate ourselves, that is how we keep ourselves safe and maintain our own peaceful world where people with open eyes can treat each other right. Our own paradise."

"Ah, Keitaro," he said with a smile. "I've just let you in on all our secrets…but it's okay, because I trust you, as I now trust the lifeblood of Japan which flows through my veins and those of every other foreigner in this place. The catalyst is our deepest secret, the key to our survival and certainly one of the most powerful things in existence. Not only does it make this possible, it also means no _ki _can harm us except our own kind. Not even our government 'watchdogs' know about the catalyst. If it were applied to a normal person with their native _ki _it would only make them more powerful for a short while before it burned itself out, though we only use it to change ourselves into something else. For the Japanese who wish to take this life it's the other way around: they use the catalyst to absorb _ki_ foreign to them and become like us, with only a few differences, and they are the Japanese we have in this place besides you…"

Kurt'kai leaned closer over the table and stood, his hands still resting on the tabletop.

"Other races do not see the truth: the peace that can exist in people like me and these others, Keitaro. We are outcasts, but we make our living for tomorrow possible now by this shortcut so we can live in peace without malice, racism, and the xenophobic failings of others. One day, when humanity wises up, all others will be like us…"

Keitaro stared at the creature above him, who, he at last knew, had with so many others turned himself into something other than human and had built a race of outcasts.

"So now you know what I am, Keitaro. And what every other person here is…"

"We are not expatriates. We are not immigrants. We are not common rebels."

"We are people before our time. The next stage in humanity's evolution. We are the children of peace…"

"We are the Exiles."

* * *

Some part of Keitaro's mind screamed out that it was impossible, another part screamed it was incredible, another part screamed that it was dangerous, and other parts just plain screamed.

The outcome of all these stubborn brain cells arguing and refusing to back down was fairly predictable: steam gushed out Keitaro's ears and he slumped face first down onto the table.

"Hmmm…" Kurt'kai sat back down. "I'd forgotten that sometimes happens."

Keitaro slowly scraped his head off the edge of the table and back up in the air, leaving his bandages and glasses askew. "You're…not joking, are you?"

Kurt'kai looked faintly surprised. "Most people say completely the opposite thing, Keitaro. 'You're not serious, are you?' Well, no, none of it's a joke."

"But, twisting yourselves like that…then you're…dark."

Kurt'kai nodded. "That's right, but dark doesn't necessarily mean evil, Keitaro. In our case, the darkness is the absence of light, and therefore, the absence of chaos."

Keitaro looked at him. "So you're asking me to…?"

Kurt'kai shook his head, his blue eyes flickering. "I'm not asking you to do anything, Keitaro. But…the offer is yours. I think, that if I know you as well as I think I do, this is what you might want. A new world, a new life, and new people. A life where malice, senseless violence, and unfair judgment…"

Keitaro expected him to say 'do not exist', but Kurt'kai finished "…are not allowed to exist."

Keitaro almost frowned. What did these Exiles do if someone broke their rules? That could be dangerous. Kurt'kai saw his thought and shrugged. "If someone does something they shouldn't, we strip them of their power and throw them out. That's all."

Keitaro was silent. Him? An Exile? A Japanese infused with an enormous amount of foreign energy his soul would normally reject to make him something else: a peaceful outcast among outcasts?

He had to admit. It would be a bold move. It meant turning his back on everything he had ever lived by. Who knew if he would ever get into Toudai as an Exile like Kurt'kai? Who knew if he could keep his promise to that one special girl?

Also, it would mean he could not go back to Hinatasou, even if he had wanted to. If the girls ever found out what he had become, there would be difficulties. Difficulties he imagined would be very loud and violent. If what Kurt'kai said was true, then some would love him, some would hate him, and some would just not care.

But it did sound better than how he felt right now. He had to also admit it was tempting. Bitterness clouded his soul and gnawed at his insides as he thought of how badly he wanted to leave it all behind. Hinatasou, Japan, everything. And start a new life. This time knowing what he was doing. And this time amongst the right people.

Could he do it? Did he want to?

Keitaro shook his head to clear it. "I need time…"

Kurt'kai nodded as he watched Keitaro struggle with his feelings. "I understand, Keitaro. It is a hard decision. I did exactly the same thing. Don't worry, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like until you've decided. I'll see to it."

Keitaro looked at him. The glowing-eyed gaijin…no, _Exile_, stood and stretched his stiffened limbs. "It's been a couple of hours, Keitaro, and I'm hungry. Want to go into the dining hall for dinner?"

Keitaro was startled when Kurt'kai said how much time had passed, but then he noticed the sky was indeed getting darker, and the temperature seemed to have dropped a few degrees. He shivered as he felt the mountain climate begin to make itself known. Tama-chan had vanished somewhere. Keitaro mentally shrugged. She would turn up sooner or later.

Keitaro almost nodded, and then stopped himself. A dining hall? That meant…

Dinner in a room _full_ of people like Kurt'kai?

Keitaro shook his head quickly. "I don't think that's a good idea, Kurt'kai!"

"Why not?" Kurt'kai sounded genuinely puzzled. "I bet there would be a lot of people interested in meeting you, Keitaro. The Hoshimoto rumor mill runs quickly and if not everyone knew about you when I wheeled you out of that chopper then everyone sure will by now…"

Keitaro swallowed hard. This was just what he didn't need. His head was still spinning with everything he'd learned in the last few hours. He didn't need to be a celebrity that everyone nudged and said 'take it, it's a great life' to or something like that.

Kurt'kai looked at him slowly. "Alright then. I guess it's up to you whether you meet my brothers and sisters sooner or later. Let's go see Dung'vick then and ask her to send us some food in my room…"

He stood up and Keitaro followed him as he went through the archway behind them. It was dimly lit inside the huge dining hall and it seemed no-one had arrived yet. A great glass pane roof stretched several metres overhead supported by the white plaster walls and large pillars. The twilight, obviously more common in the Japanese mountains, was high above through the glass ceiling. Long tables stretched from wall to wall and Keitaro was sure the large double doors at the other end of the hall led towards the kitchens. There was a small dark-haired woman hurriedly running around and turning on small lights set into fake candleholders on the walls.

Kurt'kai cleared his throat softly, and the sound echoed down the hall. The woman turned and looked at them. She smiled and started walking towards them.

Keitaro stared at the Exiled eyes glowing chocolate brown at him from within the slanted eyelids. She was Asian, South-Eastern most likely from her appearance. Probably about twenty years old. She was about five feet tall, with long black hair that fell down to her shoulders. She was dressed in a white blouse and dark skirt that reached her knees. She was smiling and had a warm aura about her. She stepped closer and reached out to Kurt'kai.

Kurt'kai grinned and stretched out his hand, slipping his palm back over hers and then curling their fingers together into an S-shape in something like a secret handshake.

"Kurt'kai…" her voice was light and melodious, echoing in her throat. "You were gone for a while. And who is this? Is he the…"

"Yes, Dung'vick, he is…" Kurt'kai interrupted quickly, raising his hands and shaking his head slightly.

The woman nodded at him in understanding and turned to look at Keitaro. "Hello. Welcome to Hoshimoto, Mr…?"

"U-Urashima." Keitaro stuttered nervously.

"Mr. Urashima…" Dung'vick said smiling. "I hope you'll enjoy your time here. If you need help with anything, you can always ask me. I usually help our visitors and…" she paused and glanced at Kurt'kai, who nodded. "…and our newcomers."

Keitaro glanced down at her name tag and saw to his surprise that it read 'Dung'vick' instead of 'Zung'vick' which was how her name was pronounced.

"I'm sorry, is that correct?" Keitaro asked nervously, pointing.

Dung'Vick glanced down. "W-what do you mean?" she asked slowly, with her cheeks slowly taking on a shade of red.

Suddenly, Keitaro felt a deep sense of dread and jumped back. "Aaaahhh, I'm sorry!"

Dung'vick's expression vanished and she looked alarmed as Keitaro threw up his arms defensively and shielded himself. "Urashima-san! What's wrong? Please calm down!"

She stepped forward, concerned, as she witnessed Keitaro cowering back in terror. Kurt'kai, fast as lightning, reached out for her shoulder and stopped her, shaking his head warningly.

She looked at him in amazement and then nodded and backed off as Kurt'kai stepped towards Keitaro. "Calm down, Keitaro. It's alright. She's not going to hurt you."

Keitaro slowly stopped whimpering and lowered his arms, his face an unnatural shade of white.

Kurt'kai stepped back to the dumbfounded woman staring at them and bent close to her ear, muttering something Keitaro couldn't hear. Dung'vick's eyes widened, and then abruptly hardened, darkening to black, and she looked at Kurt'kai and nodded. She turned on her heel and walked away into the kitchens.

"Come on, Keitaro." Kurt'kai said quietly, leading him out of the dining hall by a large pair of glass doors.

As they stepped back out into the twilight, Kurt'kai looked at him. "Don't worry, Keitaro. She doesn't blame you. I explained it all. She'll send us some dinner. Let's go eat somewhere else."

* * *

Dinner was mostly a silent affair. Keitaro's mind was still crammed full, and Kurt'kai had remained silent as they ate, watching Keitaro stare into space and struggle with his thoughts.

Kurt'kai's room was a large, white-plastered villa quarters in one of Hoshimoto's buildings. A pillar stood in the middle, and a large double bed with black sheets sat against the wall beneath a window. Persian rugs rested on the tiled white floors and Indian draperies hung from the walls, but this stylish design was rudely interrupted by the presence of a punching bag hanging from the ceiling next to the pillar, and several posters of martial artists tacked to the walls. There was an electric guitar on a stand in one corner of the room. They sat at a small coffee table with cushions near the door. Against the opposite wall, Keitaro saw three martial arts uniforms, two white and one black, hanging on pegs. Beneath them was a small chest of drawers, on which rested a couple of pictures.

When Keitaro squinted at them, he saw Kurt'kai in the black uniform in one picture posing with a group of other black-uniformed fighters. The other picture looked like what was probably his family, though Kurt'kai himself was not among them in that picture.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"…Come in." Kurt'kai said after a moment.

The door swung open and in strode a young girl. "**Kurt'kai, you slacker! Where have you been! You missed training! Sim raised a storm!**"

Kurt'kai sighed at the intruder, who stood there with a lopsided grin on her impish face. "**Ri…I told you I wouldn't make it. Don't push your luck.**"

Keitaro understood enough of the English to recognize the friendly argument. This girl was Kurt'kai's friend. She stood about five foot nine, Western and maybe about fifteen years old, with long brown hair and brown eyes glowing out of their sockets. She was wearing blue jeans and an orange T-shirt which looked stretched. There was a swollen bruise on her left cheek, but she was grinning and didn't seem to be in any pain. She walked over to them, giving the punching bag a passing kick that sent it spinning on its chain. Her eyes glowed with the infusion of the Exiles, but also seemed to twinkle with mischief as she took a seat next to Kurt'kai, grinning at Keitaro.

"You must be the Caller I've heard so much about…" she said in accented Japanese to Keitaro, who stared at her. "Kurt'kai had to drop out of training for a week to look after you!"

"I-I'm sorry…" Keitaro said slowly, taken aback by the girl's brash statement.

She shook her head. "If you're going to join us, mister, first rule is never apologize!" She reached out, grinning, and punched him on the shoulder, making him wince. "Once we pump you full of the catalyst, you and I are going to be great friends, Keitaro!"

"Ri!" Kurt'kai muttered sharply to her, making her turn to him with a look of mock innocence on her face.

"What?"

Kurt'kai sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry about this, Keitaro. She's always like this once she gets out of training. Too much adrenaline. Please let me introduce my Exiled sister, Kel'ri."

Kel'ri bowed formally to Keitaro, very nearly banging her head against the table top. "Great to finally meet you after all the research we did on you, Urashima-san. I must say you sure were an interesting subject…"

Keitaro frowned. _I'm not sure if I like the idea of someone 'investigating' me._ "I'm glad to meet you, Kel'ri."

"What a gentleman!" she said with a smile. "So, Urashima-san, how do you like it here so far?"

"It's an…interesting place. I didn't think such a place could exist in Japan." _Where exactly _is_ this place anyway?_

Kurt'kai suddenly stood up. "Keitaro, I'm just going to get us something to drink…Kel'ri, can I trust you to keep him company and not scare him out of his wits?"

"Hey!" She pouted.

Keitaro slowly nodded, and Kurt'kai got up and walked out through the front door.

"Well…" Kel'ri said slowly after he left, "…I guess you must be confused, Urashima-san."

"Yes, I am, and please call me Keitaro." He replied grumpily, not really sure he wanted any company right now.

Kel'ri shook her head. "Keitaro…no need to act that way. I want to help you through this, and so will Kurt'kai and some others. You know what we're offering you?"

Keitaro nodded without looking up at her.

"You wouldn't regret it…" Kel'ri said, suddenly quiet. "It's the most wonderful thin in the world, Keitaro, to live among people like this. No walls, no people to stop you…"

She was staring into space on her own now.

"But what about the rest of the world…" Keitaro asked slowly. "What will they think?"

Kel'ri looked at him again. "Well…half the world will love you and half the world won't, Keitaro. I'd say it's a pretty sure thing that whatever path you take, you'll end up upsetting somebody. The Exiles are generally hidden, but some who know about us are sympathetic to our way of life and our isolation…but the more conservative types call us abominations. They hate the way we throw off everything natural and traditional."

Keitaro nodded slowly, looking up to meet her eyes. "Thank you…I'm not sure Kurt'kai would've told me that."

Kel'ri shook her head. "He would have. Of all the people who would have rescued you, Keitaro, you were lucky it was Kurt'kai…" Her eyes focused on the door the blue-eyed Exile had just gone out through. "…everyone expects he'll be our next Leader. He's always been one of our most capable brothers, and he's good-hearted too…Keitaro, Kurt'kai hopes you'll join us too..."

_But I've just got here! And I don't know what I want to do yet. Why do you have to tell me these things?_ Keitaro felt like pulling out his hair.

Kel'ri looked at him. "It's your choice, Keitaro. Take as long as you like to decide. We'll all be waiting for your answer…"

She fell silent.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Keitaro walked in a daze to the room he had been given, striding across the grassy fields to the next building and shivering in the cold night air of the mountains. The starry night sky hung overhead as he walked, his eyes seeing nothing.

_The Exiles…I can't believe it. It's so hard to believe, but proof is staring at me from every corner. A real society of reverse-ki outcasts with their own law…Who would ever have thought it…_

_And they say _I_ can join them if I want…_

Keitaro thought hard. Was this really what he wanted? It did seem like a dream. If he went back to Hinatasou…the thought filled his gut with a cold lump of lead…but who knew what he would experience going back into Japan as one like Kurt'kai, Jake'shi, Dung'vick, or Kel'ri?

Names. Their names. Western names spliced with Asian ones. Fit them perfectly considering how they became what they were.

Power. Becoming an Exile would mean power. Like Kurt'kai had told him, the only _ki_ which would harm him would be the negative _ki_ of the other Exiles, and he would never have to take the pain of a Naru-punch or Shinmeiiryu technique again.

It would mean a home. He would at last have a home in Hoshimoto among a more tolerant people who were passive and non-aggressive by nature. That, ever since Keitaro had come to Hinatasou, had been something Keitaro had dreamed of.

But Keitaro would never be the same again if he accepted. He would change, become something different, and people would never look at him the same ever again. Was that what he wanted?

But then the thought of everything he had faced returned. The betrayal of all he had known and trusted in Hinatasou. Could he really go back to that? Even if he didn't go back there and just left Hoshimoto for Tokyo or somewhere else, who's to say he just wouldn't face even more problems and dead ends? Perhaps the path of the Exiles was the one for him…

Keitaro, in spite of any conservatism in his nature, knew he certainly did not trust his own people any longer after what he had been through all his life. Disaster after disaster, and malice beyond malice had confronted him at every turn.

What did he owe his people or his country? The Exiles seemed peaceful enough, and there were all good people, no matter what lengths they had gone to for their separation.

Keitaro knew he would never suffer at the hands of the Exiles, and he would never have to suffer at the hands of other Japanese like Naru or Motoko again if he became an Exile.

So what did he have to lose?

_There's no going back,_ he thought. _That's the only thing stopping me. There will be no going back once I choose._

_I need more time._

Just then, as he reached the villa patio, he heard running footsteps behind him. He ducked behind a pillar, not feeling like talking with anyone. He squinted around the pillar and saw a boy, blond-haired with glowing red eyes, bent over to catch his breath nearby, holding a small shiny thing to his chest.

A pouting little girl ran up to him, her blue hair fanning out around her in the darkness. "**Give me back my mirror, Fef'tai! Why did you do that!**"

The boy, who looked pretty big though he couldn't be older than ten, smiled and gave her the mirror. "**Because you said you didn't want to come out to see the snow, Leve'chi. We always go up to see the snow winds together at night when we come back to Hoshimoto. C'mon, let's go…**" He tugged at the sleeve of the blue robe the girl was wearing and smiled.

"**B-but it's t-t-too c-cold…**" the girl said, obviously pretending her teeth were chattering. "**Anyway, I'm s-sure Sage'shi doesn't want to go this time either**…"

Another voice suddenly called out. "**Alright, let's go!**"

Another boy in green pyjamas with a robe over them ran over to join them, grinning. He had long green hair and Exiled eyes that glowed a lighter green. "**Let's go see the snow, guys! I love the way it sparkles with the moonlight…**"

"**Yeah, c'mon!**" The blond boy screamed in delight and ran off, the green-eyed boy hot on his heels. The little girl sighed.

"**I can't let them go without me…they're my brothers…**" She ran off after them. "**Hey! Wait up, you guys!**" She vanished into the night.

"…" Keitaro slowly emerged from his hiding place.

_Yes, I need time._

Though by now, he already knew what he was going to do.

* * *

Author: And what may that be, we wonder? I'm back, back, back! I'm sorry I've been gone so long. Yes, I'm a terrible author, I know, to leave all my fans hanging like this. I could try to make excuses, but go ahead and flame away if you hate me for leaving this for so long.

Anyway, more updates coming soon. First prize to the first reader who recognizes those cameos in the last part of this chapter!

Next chapter: Keitaro meets more of the Exiles, and learns more about them. He makes his decision, and who knows where he will go from there. Kurt'kai also tells him more, and Keitaro learns something that will shock him. The Hinata girls will also reappear, and we'll learn what Kurt'kai's answer to Shinobu is.

As always, please R and R. Love you all readers.

Jim'Van

* * *

HOSHIMOTO – HOME OF THE EXILES OF JAPAN

EXILE FILE: 0517

EXILE NAME: KURT'KAI

AGE: 16

ORIGIN: Born Kurt Ashind in Virginia, USA, Kurt'kai spent much of his young life traveling through Southern Asia, and later, Japan, with his father, mother, and brother. When his family split up and he and his younger brother were taken back to Virginia by his mother, young Kurt became Destined. The essence of Asia he absorbed changed him, and made him the subject of the xenophobia of most unworldly Americans, being publicly humiliated and often bullied and beaten by them. Sickened and angry at the behavior of his people towards those different from them, Kurt was only ever at peace when he visited his father in Japan. Finally, Kurt's own mother, who had always stuck to her adamant American way of life, grew to dislike her son, especially after she remarried to a man who did not like Kurt or his brother at all. Kurt's own brother was too young to remember what life was like for them in Asia, and grew to regard his older brother as a freak. Finally, Kurt, at thirteen, turned his back on his conservative countrymen forever and went to his father for help. Kurt's father had to leave Japan shortly after he arrived, but, knowing his son needed a new life, he set Kurt up with a home with his friends and put his son in international school. Kurt'kai still maintains a good relationship with his father, and still sees him sometimes. One year after arriving, Kurt was discovered by the Exiled Martial Arts Master, Sim, who took him to Hoshimoto just a month after it was finished and one year after the Exiles founding. Shortly afterwards, Kurt went Exile and added the Japanese name 'Kai' to his name in the tradition of all Exiles. He accepted the catalyst and consumed much Japanese energy shortly afterwards at his initiation and became a true Exile. To this day, he remains a strong avatar of our way of life. His anger at his former countrymen has mostly left him, as he is non-aggressive by nature. He proves capable and resourceful as well as faithful to our way of life, and many believe he will be our next Leader after Jake'shi retires from the position. He remains one of the prominent members of our defense team, the Exiled Fables, and a close friend to Sim, as well as Exile Leader Jake'shi and the other Fables Kel'ri and Sung'ryan.


	8. The Exiled Princess

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of it's characters. They are the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and associates. If I owned Love Hina, I wouldn't be writing this, would I?

Chinh: Nooo! We'd both be lounging in our beautiful mansion in Maui. Boohoo!

Jim'Van: I'm back, back, back! Chapter 8 is up at last! In this chapter we get to see several new characters, Keitaro's decision, and best of all…

Chinh: Snowflakes! Beautiful snowflakes!

Jim'Van: Urrrgh, and let me introduce my co-pilot, Chinh. Recently released from the Hanoi mental institution.

Chinh: _Muon chet ha!_

Jim'Van: _Im di va ngoi xuong!_ Gah, being a ficcie author is hard these days. I'm between jobs at the moment over here, trying hard but nothing yet. Too much time on my hands and I get bored sitting in coffee shops all day out in the city.

Chinh: Heh, tell them what happened, Van!

Jim'Van: Sure. Anyway, to sum it up in a nutshell, I was really unhappy with the new incoming director in my last job, so I asked the current director out for dinner and plied him and myself with fine red wine until I said "Boss, I'm gonna get straight to the point, please fire me!" "I can't fire you." He said with his deep London BBC accent. "The management team wouldn't believe me." "Come on, please. I don't want to hang around with you gone, boss. Please fire me, I need the money." I said being a logical human being. So he got up and staggered over to the telephone. Beep-beep. "Hellooo, Mr. Manager? Yessh, I know yer in a meeting, but ish it okay if I fire Van? Okay. Yep." Click. He came back to the table. "Congratulationshh mate! You're fired!" And we ordered another bottle to celebrate.

I received a check with severance pay the next day. Don't you just love the corporate tango? Anyway, as I was saying, the fic awaits. Naru-bashers keep your fingers crossed, especially you, my dedicated reviewers, you know who you are.

Oh, and there's a forum for this fic now. Drop by if you like. Enjoy the chapter.

Van

* * *

Love Hina – The Exiles

Part II

Chapter 8 – The Exiled Princess

It was a large, roomy office in the city of Tokyo reserved for officials on visits from the outlying prefectures of Japan. The great chandelier overhead cast a bright light over the room in stark contrast to the impenetrable darkness of the night of the new moon set over the enormous window panes like an inky black sheet. It was late, after midnight, and little noise could be heard over the wind outside. The office was decorated with old, creaking leather furniture and the presence of old and slightly frightening portraits hanging gloomily in their frames on the walls. An elaborate wooden desk sat in the middle of the office, two chairs before it. One man, an ancient in a light grey suit, sat in a wheelchair behind the desk, and another man sat before it in his dark black suit. The third suited man sat against the wall next to the window in the chair that usually stood behind the desk…but not tonight. The man before the desk spoke.

"We must try, senator Hadaki!"

"I have already given you my view on this matter, senator Taichi. I will not discuss it further."

"I must concur with the senator Hadaki, Akio-san. We made a government agreement with them…and we cannot violate it."

The second-youngest of the three men in the room slammed his fist down onto the desktop petulantly. "One visit…" he said, holding up a crooked finger. "One visit…and we'll find at least a dozen things on their ground that violated our agreement already!"

"Perhaps, Akio-san…" the older senator drawled, sighing inwardly as he saw that his younger counterpart would not be so easily put off. "But even so it will not be us who publicly break the thing first. So far as I can tell, these children are not causing any harm and peace seems to be what they genuinely want, so why bother stirring things up?" The ancient man raised one hand to his temple and ran his fingers through his wispy white hair. "All these little disagreements are tiresome for an old man like me." he added.

"Hadaki-san…" the younger senator began. "…think for a minute. These children are a threat! A threat to our security. They refuse to obey our laws, they insist on keeping their location and activities secret from us, and they refuse to explain where they get all their resources from. That stinks of treachery if you ask me…and what about all the kidnappings we know they were definitely involved in? Senator, we cannot turn a blind eye to that!"

Senator Hadaki Tenzo sighed again, shifting in his wheelchair as he gazed at his fellow senator, Taichi Akio, the newly-minted prefect for Kanagawa. The man had black hair shot with grey and a corpulent red face which pulsed with the petulance Hadaki already knew he possessed. He had the telltale purple-veined nose of a heavy drinker and a yellow-toothed snarl almost continually plastered across his face over some trivial matter. Taichi was stocky and broad-shouldered despite his age, and he very thinly concealed his contempt for Hadaki, an old man in a wheelchair with a quiet voice and serene eyes behind a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles.

"My dear fellow…" Hadaki said quietly, running his thickly-veined hand through his hair again. "It was our agreement with these children, the Fallen as you call them, that we leave them alone to manage their own affairs, so there is no point regretting that or arguing about it now." He looked at the window. "It's all sealed and signed and stowed away in the Prime Minister's safe. Would you like to see that, Akio? It might take a few days, but I might be able to get it for you."

Taichi Akio glared at him. "Don't patronize me, Hadaki. You know and I know that these Fallen are up to something. Something which goes way beyond the boundaries of anything that treaty covered. Like I said, what about the kidnappings? And what about where all their money comes from?"

"Indeed…" Hadaki said, turning towards him again. "I do realize that their activities outside wherever their home is might be significant, and I have already offered a reward to anyone in my prefecture who can provide authentic proof that the children are up to something illegal…such as the kidnappings you mentioned. Though I believe, that when I went through their records, I could quite understand why some of the victims would want to be kidnapped…" he spoke the last part sternly, looking Taichi right in the eyes.

Taichi appeared not to hear his last sentence. "Why authentic?" he demanded. "Why not just take any proof and use it to force an inspection out of them?"

The other, youngest man in the room, Tamaki Mantero, seemed to shift uncomfortably in his seat as he heard one of the other two seasoned politicians suggesting something so blatantly illegal.

Hadaki sighed in exasperation. "Because, Akio, then a dozen rascals a day would turn up with fake gold bars or photographs of people they just mugged and demand their reward. We represent our own government, Akio, and we cannot encourage such acts!"

"We can't do nothing!" Taichi attempted another tack. "See here, Hadaki! From what we know these Fallen children are definitely hiding in your prefecture somewhere. You just might be able to get some people to go looking to find their home or request a flyover for photographs or…"

"Taichi-san!" Hadaki interrupted sharply, his quiet voice very cold now. "I will not hire government intelligence or bother the military over something so petty. I will not break any laws or make life in any way difficult for the people in my prefecture for the mere sake of trying to prove legally immigrated children guilty of anything. That is my last word in the subject. Now if you don't mind, I have other meetings to attend to tonight."

Taichi glowered for a moment, and then nodded coldly before standing and stamping out of the room, muttering to himself and taking care to slam the door as hard as he could.

"Ah, Mantero. That boy disappoints me." Hadaki muttered, shaking his head.

Tamaki Mantero gazed at his superior for a moment and then nodded his completely bald head. "I must agree he was rather unpleasant, Hadaki-sama."

Hadaki half-smiled. "I keep telling you to just call me Tenzo."

Tamaki swallowed. "Er, I would prefer to address you in a more appropriate fashion, sir."

"As you wish, Mantero. It does not bother me much."

"Sir, he is the prefect of Kanagawa. Why on earth do you suppose he suddenly has such an interest in the so-called Fallen in your prefecture?"

"Exiles, Mantero."

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Call them Exiles. 'Fallen' is too poor a title for those spirited children."

Tamaki swallowed again. "So…they do exist. You know more about them than you claimed, sir?"

"Naturally. I have met with them several times." He shook his head. "Why are we even saying 'children' anyway? It's likely many of them aren't…"

"But…do you know why senator Taichi wants them so badly, sir?"

"Of course I do, Mantero. He feels that the Exiles have slighted him personally."

"Er, how so, sir?"

"I believe Senator Taichi's own son became an Exile some years ago."

* * *

"_What do you mean 'you just missed him'!"_

"_That slimy good-for-nothing baka was taken away by some weird kidnappers just a few minutes ago…"_

"…"

"_Don't worry, Mutsumi-san. They're gone now. We're all safe."_

"_SAFE! Naru-san! Are you out of your mind! My Kei-kun is gone!"_

"Your_ Kei-kun!"_

"_It's…too late. All too late…Kei-kun, I'm so sorry! I'm so SORRY!"_

"_Mutsumi-san…"_

"_Stay away from me! Get away! I don't ever want to see your face again, you spoiled, arrogant, self-absorbed brat!"_

And that fiery, hate-filled gaze was the last Naru had seen of Otohime Mutsumi that night. She had not stayed, but run off in tears, screaming at the top of her lungs and cursing so loudly and colorfully that Naru couldn't believe her ears.

It had been almost two days now. There had been no sign of Keitaro or the strange black-clads who took him. Motoko had still not returned from Kyoto. And there was no sign of Mutsumi either. Naru had called her friend's lodge, but there was no answer. The other tenants were stunned and fearful that they had seen the last of their beloved kanrinin, all except, strangely enough, Shinobu. She, who Naru and the others had expected to go all to pieces at the loss of her beloved sempai, was quiet and calm, and simply sat there on the sofa staring into space.

Su, also, looked confused and distant, though her anguish at Keitaro's disappearance was plain to see. She immediately ran up to her room and locked herself inside, refusing to come out.

Kitsune and Sara had called the police shortly afterwards to report a kidnapping…but Naru pulled out the line before it could connect.

"Naru! Wha' the heck is the matter with you? Keitaro's gone, for crying out loud! Kidnapped! And ya don't even wanna tell the police?" Kitsune sounded genuinely upset.

"I meant what I said, Kitsune. Good riddance!" Naru fumed, working the kinks of the phone line in her fingers with her eyes cast down in feigned indifference. "That baka's gone now, and it's none of our business what happens to him anymore! What are you so upset about anyway? Those kidnappers did us a favor!"

"Don't try to kid me, Naru…" Kitsune said quietly in a dangerous voice. She was never one to get angry, but Naru's persistent stubbornness was grating on Kitsune's sanity. "I can tell you're as concerned as I am. Keitaro's my friend too. He might be in danger! Who knows what those guys will do to him! We're gonna find him and bring him back…"

"What on earth are you saying, Kitsune! Think of all the trouble that slimy pervert caused. We should be happy he's gone. No more Keitaro, no more trouble, no more peeping in the hot springs, no more perverted groping…" Naru had to push to maintain her tone of utter indifference. In truth, her anger and blame of Keitaro for what happened between her and Kouji was weakening in the face of reality, but no…

_No!_ Naru thought. _I will not feel anything for him! He ruined everything! Every chance I had of one real guy friend…_

"…No more blamin' him for your troubles, smashing him through walls, and scapegoatin' on him on your part, Naru?" Kitsune suggested coldly.

Naru looked up and glared at her long-time best friend. "You don't even know what you're talking about, Kitsune! If you had to go through everything I had to go through with that baka…"

"Ya mean havin' his constant attention, his love, and his adoring respect, Naru! Keh! Quite frankly, I would've been very happy if I went through everythin' you did with him, Naru! And it's only a matter of time before you realize what that means too, girl!" Kitsune's eyes were fully open and burning with anger and emotion. "Fine! Ya don't wanna go after him now, then let's jus' see what happens when Haruka-san gets here! And let's see what happens to us!"

"Oh, we'll see about that, Kitsune. And if you or any of the others mention a thing about that baka to Haruka-san or anyone else, you'll wish you hadn't! I mean it! You've got a full bar tab I can call in on you, Kitsune. Remember that!" She threw up her hands in the air in exasperation and walked out of the room, taking the phone with her. "What's the big deal! We should be thanking those kidnappers! They've just solved our biggest problem!"

Naru had refused to let herself worry. She still blamed Keitaro for her breakup, and she told herself she hated his guts for it. But it lay in the back of her mind somewhere, the screaming denial. Naru shoved it down, and tried her best to ignore it.

_NO! No, no, no! He did it! It was because of him I hit Kouji! If the perverted baka hadn't given me that reflex I wouldn't have hurt him! This is all Keitaro's fault! Keitaro's fault! I hate him and I hope I never see him again!_

In her rage and constant emotional upheaval, Naru had reduced many pieces of furniture to splinters and managed to intimidate the other tenants into following her command never to speak of Keitaro. Everyone secretly feared Naru would need a new punching bag frequently, and so unanimously decided it was best to let her cool off before they tried anything. It would be some time before Naru's conscience would be ready to budge, but Kitsune's first fears later proved to be well founded.

Haruka had visited the Hinatasou the next day, asking for her nephew, saying she wanted to speak with him. When she couldn't find him, she assembled everyone, even Su, in the hall, a very stern look on her face and a frown creasing her beautiful features with the ever-present cigarette dangling from her lips.

"Alright, where's my nephew?" Everyone shifted uncomfortably on their feet.

"Shinobu-chan?" Haruka asked impatiently, placing her hopes on the most openly affectionate and honest of the tenants.

"He-he's gone, Haruka-san…" Shinobu said in a small voice, not daring to look up at her.

Suddenly, it felt as if the room temperature just dropped a couple of degrees.

Haruka drew a puff on her cigarette before answering. "I see…so it happened after all…"

"Haruka-san…" Kitsune started to speak, but Haruka interrupted her.

"So he left, did he? Well…I guess this time he'll be gone a lot longer than usual. Well, we'll make the usual arrangements, girls. But I imagine you'll be on your own for quite a while. Maybe the dorm repairs will actually make you appreciate my nephew for once…"

"Haruka-san. I'm not sure you…really understand…"

Haruka's face looked momentarily puzzled at Kitsune's interjection. "What? What was that, Kitsune?"

But Kitsune didn't say anything. Shinobu slowly shuffled forward and spoke lowly to Haruka, surprising everyone in the room, no-one more so that Haruka herself.

Her deep brown eyes hardened. "What do mean 'taken away'?"

Her voice was quiet, but every girl felt it brush icily over their skins.

"Well, Haruka-san…he was…er, kind of…abducted…" Kitsune said weakly.

The room's temperature dropped another couple of degrees.

"Abducted! _Kidnapped_, you mean! What on _earth_ are you lot doing? You should've told me! Or even better, told the police! What the heck is wrong with you all!" Haruka spat out the words.

"We wanted to tell you, but _someone_ stopped us…" Kitsune muttered, glaring sideways at Naru, who had since confiscated all the phones and forbidden the other girls to speak about the matter to anyone.

Naru glared at her former best friend, forcing her thoughts into the malicious zone by her broken logic. _You choose Keitaro's side, Kitsune, and I'm going to enjoy seeing you regret it. All that baka brings is disappointment…_

Haruka turned and glared at Naru. "I might've known…"

That icy tone and the daggers in Haruka's gaze immediately melted right through all of Naru's mental defenses. She promptly wilted and stared fearfully at Haruka, who for all the world looked as if at the moment she wanted nothing more than to pick Naru up and throw her bodily out the window.

Haruka walked right up to Naru, who tried to take a step back…and slipped on a banana peel into an undignified fall onto her backside. She tried to stand up, but Haruka kept striding towards her, forcing her to scramble backwards. Naru looked up as Haruka scowled down at her.

"Since you're apparently so eager to forget Keitaro, Naru, you can do all his chores and duties yourself! Won't need him to do them anymore, so forgetting him should be all the easier, eh?" Haruka growled, her eyes glinting frostily.

With that, she turned and stomped out of the front entrance. She stopped and turned around outside the doorway. "I'll be watching, Naru…" She pulled out a cell phone from her pocket and walked away, putting it to her ear and talking rapidly.

Naru sat there on the floor, looking around in all directions. No-one was looking directly at her. She scowled.

_This is all Keitaro's fault._

Every time she said it to herself, her resolve weakened a little more.

* * *

Hoshimoto proved to be a strange place. Kurt'kai had told him something about it once having been an abandoned Jesuit mission ruin before the Exiles took it as their home. Almost all of Keitaro's time up till that morning, Hoshimoto's grounds had been almost deserted, but that morning many young Exiles were about. Most of them, male and female, seemed to be alone, going about their business and only really speaking to each other to say hello. Some of them were with one or two others from time to time and almost never seemed to just sit around and chat or do things together.

"Yes, Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said when he asked. "That's true. The thing is, most Exiles, the Destined ones anyway, tend to be loners. No-one really knows why, but I'd say that comfort in one's own company would tend to come with being Destined. A childhood amongst a foreign kind breeds a kind of self-reliance and unsociable nature. That's the reason why the Exiles aren't generally found out. We usually never work together unless it's something really important. That's the only time when the Exile Leader can order anyone to do anything either."

"But I thought the Leader would be in charge here…" Keitaro murmured. They were sitting next to the large fountain in the middle of Hoshimoto's main courtyard.

"That's another thing about us, Keitaro. The title of 'Leader' is only really any authority in the case of danger to the Exiles or a serious breach of the rules of the Exile. Exiles generally manage their own affairs, and the Leader has no authority to order anyone to do anything…"

"So it's just a formality?"

"Not really!" Kel'ri piped up from Keitaro's left as she took a seat next to them. "There have been times when the Exile Leader has taken charge of the Exiles when there's a problem that concerns us all. That's the only case in which he can do anything. Like once or twice, a few government spies tried to find us. The Leader then made sure they didn't get within fifty miles of this place."

Kurt'kai nodded in agreement with her.

"Hmmm, well then, can I ask why all these people weren't here yesterday?" Keitaro asked, looking around and seeing a pair of older men, probably older than him, leaning against a tree and talking quietly nearby.

Kurt'kai smiled. "Oh, you might think we all live here and never go outside like hermits in our own utopia, Keitaro…but that's actually not the case. We all have lives in the normal cities of Japan, and few Exiles actually live here or spend a lot of time here. We all go to school or have jobs to do. This is just our formal home. The few Exiles who do live here in Hoshimoto are mostly the Fables."

"The what?"

Kurt'kai grinned. "The Exiled Fables. Biggest bunch of fools you've ever seen in your life! An utter embarrassment to the Exiles and generally a royal pain in the neck. Had to laugh. Their latest performance was the most pathetic in years!"

Kel'ri snorted with laughter. "Ignore him, Keitaro. Kurt'kai just loves poking fun at the force he and I work in. The Fables are Exile warriors. Our so-called 'defense team'. Kurt'kai and I are Fables."

Kurt'kai nodded. "That's right. We learn martial arts, weaponry, and even learn how to use firearms. Most of the Exiles are pacifist, but…a few things happened in the past and we came to realize that the Exiles needed a strong group of protectors to be safe. One of us, Sim, is the one who trains us."

Suddenly, a loud, harsh shout echoed in the courtyard. "KEL'RI!"

She jumped to her feet. "I really wish you hadn't said that, Kurt'kai! Here he comes now! You never saw me! I went back to Tokyo today!" she said hurriedly before running off at full throttle.

Kurt'kai coughed, waving away her dust trail. "Yeesh. I wonder what she did to tick him off so badly this time…here he comes now…"

Striding out across the courtyard was a tall, strong-looking Asian man with jet-black hair and a fierce, glowing gaze beneath heavy brows set into a pale, hawkish face. His face bore thin, white scars and looked as if a smile had never touched it. His movements looked angry and powerful.

Kurt'kai nudged Keitaro's side and bowed. "Be careful with him…" he hissed lowly. "Sim is upset about something. Don't worry, he's not usually like this. Just don't speak or look at him unless he speaks to you…"

Keitaro nodded dumbly and also bowed in his seat, trying not to swallow at the sight of the man now swooping down on them.

"**Kurt'kai…**" he said slowly as he stepped up to their bench. "**Did you see where Kel'ri went? She still owes me those extra exercises for that stunt she botched yesterday…**"

Keitaro frowned, trying to piece together what he had said, and watched as Kurt'kai shrugged. "**Some stunts are difficult to do, Sim. Are you sure it's really necessary?**"

Sim, who obviously had little patience for people who disagreed with him, gazed levelly at Kurt'kai. "**I am your Master, you know. It's my responsibility to decide what's necessary and what's not with the Fables. That is, if they are to protect. Now tell me, did you see her?**"

Kurt'kai jerked his thumb in the direction Kel'ri had vanished. "**She's over there…**"

The master fighter stared at him, and Kurt'kai laughed quietly. "**If I see her, Sim…**" he said. "**…I'll scream at the top of my lungs!**"

Sim's face slowly twisted into a faint smirk, though it would still be generous to say he was smiling. "**Bring her to the training hall instead, Kurt'kai.**" he said before turning and walking away.

Keitaro looked to one side, more uncomfortable then ever. From what he had understood of the English conversation, Keitaro was already nervous about Sim.

"Don't worry about him, Keitaro…" Kurt'kai said. "He's just had a hard life…he's really like a father to me and the others."

Keitaro turned slowly, looking up at the head of the fountain above them. The great bird was still leaking tears from its eyes.

Kurt'kai saw where he was looking and shifted in his seat to look at the head. "We all see him…" he said slowly.

Keitaro started. "What?"

Kurt'kai smiled at him out of the corner of his mouth. "Well, you've seen him before haven't you? We all see him before…the change. All those who will become Exiles see him at some point. He is our will, our way. Everything we wished for in our previous lives _must be_ him. No-one knows why, but we've all seen him…that's why we have him here to watch over us…we call him the _Phoenix_."

Keitaro gulped. This just kept getting weirder and weirder. This…_bird_ above him was the patron spirit of the Exiles or something? And he had seen it too? Was becoming an Exile really his choice to make?

_Phoenix…was it me or was it you? How did you know me?_

Seeing his discomfort, the Exile smiled again and stood up, stretching his limbs. "A lot in a short time, eh, Keitaro? Just try not to faint, will you? I can't carry you all the way back to the guest wing!" Kurt'kai chuckled.

Keitaro groaned and buried his face into his hands.

Kurt'kai's face became serious again, and he patted him on the shoulder. "I know, I know. You're thinking 'someone pinch me and wake me up' and 'this can't be real, I'm going crazy', right? Breathe, Keitaro, just breathe…"

Keitaro looked up again, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

"I know why you've been so quiet…" Kurt'kai said heavily. "This is all so surreal to an outsider the first time…"

"Yes…" Keitaro agreed. "I still find it hard to accept. This shouldn't be possible…"

Kurt'kai nodded. "Yes, but possible it is…"

At that, Keitaro squared his shoulders and stood up.

"Kurt'kai…" he said slowly. "I think…I've made my decision."

The Exile's glowing eyes snapped up to look at him eagerly.

Keitaro sighed and let his shoulders slump. "I'm sorry, Kurt'kai. This just…doesn't feel right for me."

Kurt'kai's face fell. "What! Why?"

Keitaro shook his head. "I…I just feel I wasn't made for this kind of…freedom. It just wouldn't…suit someone like me. And the power you all have…that's just not meant for me. I'm just not a…free man."

Kurt'kai looked up at him, disappointment evident on his face. "That's your former tenants talking, Keitaro, not you…"

The ronin shook his head. "I don't think your way of life is just right for me. I can't see myself being like you."

"So you'd rather go back to the country _and _the people who treated you so bad, Keitaro?" Kurt'kai's voice had risen slightly. "I told you before that life probably won't ever become easier for you with them! I remember what you looked like when I pulled you out of the Hinatasou. Are you sure about this? Do you want to go back to that!"

Keitaro shook his head. "I won't go back to Hinatasou…I can't. But…I just don't know what I would do if I became an Exile. Please understand."

And it was true. Keitaro felt, deep within himself, that he would have no clue what he would want out of life as an Exile. He had never wanted power, or even complete freedom. As long as he could remember, his whole life had been bent towards another, to that one little girl he had made that promise to a long time ago. Without that one centre in his life, Keitaro did not doubt he would be lost. In all his years of failure, at times he had asked himself why he was going into so much for one person he did not remember clearly, and, again at times, the only thing that stopped him questioning his goal was the fact that he had nothing else to live for, and no other goal to work towards.

And, Exile or not, that would still be the case.

"Who ever said you would have to give up your dream if you became an Exile, Keitaro?" Kurt'kai asked, gazing searchingly at him.

Keitaro shrugged. "I know I could still try…but it just feels…wrong."

Kurt'kai grimaced, and then nodded slowly. "I suppose I can understand that…but are you really sure about this, Keitaro? Will you always have to live for others and never for yourself?" His voice was quiet. "One thing we Exiles all believe: our lives are our own, and no-one can take them from us…"

He then looked away and muttered. "Forgive me for saying so Keitaro, but I don't think any of those girls you called friends were very interested in letting you run your own life, especially that Narusegawa…"

The boy's mentioning of that name hit Keitaro heavily like a fifty-pound weight dropped into his stomach. Too true. All too true. But what choice did he, Urashima Keitaro, have? He knew, no matter how sweet freedom sounded, that he couldn't turn away from those who would need him, even if they did use him and throw him away…

Keitaro shook his head and turned, half-walking and half-stumbling away from Kurt'kai, who gazed after him sadly.

The gaijin sighed and raised his hand to his forehead as the broken man walked away.

_So be it, Keitaro. Your life is yours, not mine, and I can't tell you what to do with it…but I still believe you deserve better than what awaits you out there…

* * *

_

_CLANG! BANG! CRASH!_

Naru cursed as the broom, mop, buckets and all the other cleaning utensils fell untidily out of the cupboard. Growling in frustration, she kicked out at the bucket, sending it flying across the room to crash against the opposite wall.

Not feeling better by any means, she hit out at the cupboard door, leaving a broken fist imprint in the fragile wood, before snatching up one of the brooms and breaking it over her knee in rage.

"Stupid, stupid things!" she shouted. "How did that baka always make this look so easy! I swear I'm going to…"

She froze then as she realized what she was doing.

She was thinking about Keitaro…again.

_NO!_ She immediately picked up the mop and ran to get the bucket to clean the hot spring…

…and promptly tripped over the other broom head sticking out of the cupboard, falling smack on her face into the rough wooden floorboards. And if that wasn't enough, the broom she just jarred upset all the piled cleaning equipment left in the cupboard, bringing it crashing down painfully on her head.

Stars exploded behind Naru's eyelids. She groaned, lying there under a pile of wood, straw, and old plastic.

Then it happened. She leapt to her feet, bellowing in rage, before grabbing another bucket, swinging it round, and smashing it against the door jamb with all her strength.

The steel bucket buckled and collapsed on itself on impact, and Naru gasped and collapsed onto her knees as the shock of the impact reverberated up her arms, numbing her body and mind.

Tantrum finished, Naru was suddenly aware of a sharp sting in her knuckles and lifted up her hand, wincing from the ache in her arm.

Her knuckles were bloody and stripped from her assault on the defenseless cupboard door. Groaning, she stood up again and walked into the next room, the kitchen, for something to clean it.

Shinobu was in the kitchen, preparing dinner as usual. She did not look at Naru as she took the rice dishes off the drying rack.

"Shinobu-chan…" Naru said, panting slightly from her exertions. "Can you please help me clean up these cuts?"

Shinobu did not pause in her work. "There are some band-aids on the top shelf, Naru-sempai." She said quietly, without even turning to look at her.

Naru stared at the blue-haired girl. There was no doubt about it, she had changed. Ever since…that incident…a few days ago, Shinobu had lapsed into a quiet spell and was strangely distant towards anyone who spoke to her. Everyone had been puzzled, and no-one no more than Naru, as Shinobu was unresponsive to her most of all. Shinobu was polite to anyone who spoke to her, but all the brightness and happiness seemed to have gone out of her routine.

Naru furrowed her brow and moved closer to her, staring at her still face and unfocused gaze. Shinobu was clearly miles away. Her eyes were dilated and seeing nothing as she took down the dishes.

Naru shook her head slightly and went to the freezer, looking for ice cubes. Ice would soothe the sting in her knuckles for a while…

Then suddenly, she was aware of a quiet whisper. Naru stopped with her fingers an inch from the ice tray.

Then suddenly, there it was again.

"Sempai…"

Naru felt her whole body go numb again. Somehow, she didn't feel angry, not at all.

"Sempai…" Shinobu whispered again, obviously not knowing or not caring that Naru was just behind her. "…Kurt'kai-san…why did you do it? Why did you say he needs it?"

Naru suddenly felt a great weight lift from her head and settle in her chest. _Shinobu-chan…_

Shinobu raised her head again, her eyes glazed and focused on some distant spot out the window.

"Kurt'kai-san…you were…right. Sempai does need it…"

_Crack!_

The sound jolted Shinobu out of her thoughts and she turned around quickly to see a couple of blood-stained ice-cubes on the floor beneath the open freezer with the ice tray hanging out.

She could hear running footsteps.

Upstairs, Naru wrenched her shoji door open and collapsed onto her knees on her futon, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She lifted one hand and touched her face. _I'm crying…why?_

The feeling in her chest grew, and she sobbed in spite of herself and the tears flowed harder.

_No…it feels terrible…but…why?_

The mixed anguish and confusion was so strong that she lifted her injured fist and pounded it repeatedly on the floor next to her, her face in an agonized expression and her lips curled back to reveal an anguished grimace.

_Why is this happening? What have I done?_

And the next heartbroken cry would echo all throughout the Hinatasou.

"_WHAT HAVE I DONE!"

* * *

_

It was night again. Long after midnight. The night was still and quiet, full moon in the sky, stars winking down from above, and there was no sound but the gentle whisper of the wind and the fall of snow. And Urashima Keitaro, wrapped in a thick woolen coat, stood before the statue of the Phoenix. He had removed the bandages earlier that day, but his face bore white scratch scars that he knew would take a long time to fade, much the same as the scars on his soul.

The day had been a hard one. Since the episode here before this fountain earlier, Kurt'kai had seemed somewhat distant. He had told Keitaro that whenever he was ready, he and the other Exiles would release him back into Japan wherever he wanted. Keitaro knew, that no matter how much he disliked the idea, that his first destination would be the Hinatasou, to get his belongings still in his room there and to give the Hinatasou ownership deed to someone else. It was an inevitable route to disaster, but Keitaro could not avoid it. He knew he would be lucky to be able to pull it off unscathed.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

_Is this going to be the set routine of my whole life? To move from place to place, even further from my goal each time?_

Since he could remember, the future had always looked grim for him, the years ahead full of challenge and the need to prove himself to reach his goals, but he privately admitted that he would feel nervous…and somehow a little cowardly, to take the road that would lead to less challenge in life.

Which was why he chose not to become an Exile.

While he had not exactly been happy being kicked around high school, ridiculed and insulted at prep school, patronized and lectured at home, and smashed through walls at the Hinatasou, he had always counted them as other challenges he would be thoroughly entitled to the satisfaction and the credit of having overcome when he at last entered Toudai with the girl of his promise.

It was still a battle he was losing, but his image was still firmly set enough in his mind to not want to take the easy path.

He decided he was going to clear it up properly though, both with Kurt'kai and...the one before him.

"I'm sorry…" he said slowly, looking up at the great stone head above him. The phoenix's head was dark and featureless in the moonlight, but somehow, Keitaro felt that it was looking back at him.

"I'm sorry, but…this just isn't for me. You saved me. You opened my eyes to what I was doing, but still…where you've brought me and what you want me to do…I can't do it…"

He felt a little foolish, speaking up to a large fountain statue in the middle of a deserted, quiet courtyard. But this had to be done, he felt.

"Well…I guess that's all I have to say…" he said to the statue. "Er…I guess I hope we, ah, meet again…"

Silence, but Keitaro shivered as he felt the gaze of the statue on him…or was it just the wind?

"He would not have called you here if you did not need him, Urashima-san." A light, echoing voice said from behind him.

Keitaro jumped so hard his feet actually left the ground. He whirled around to see a pale figure staring at him.

A woman, he could see, wearing a thick white wool coat around herself. The hood was pulled up, but Keitaro could just make out her jaw and several strands of bright blonde hair flowing out of it.

The slender girl looked levelly at him. He could see the random deepening and lightening of her blue eyes faintly under the hood.

"I heard about your decision…" she said in flawless Japanese, her voice rich and vibrant. "…and, forgive me, but I want to speak with you. Will you walk with me?"

"Who are you?" Keitaro asked, somehow afraid of this stranger.

The girl slowly drew back her hood, and Keitaro's body almost slid right off his knees. Urashima Keitaro had known beauty in the Hinatasou, but now, he was certain he was in the presence of an angel.

She was by far the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Long, pale blonde curls cascaded over her head and down her back. A perfectly framed, lineless face with a sensual pink bow of a mouth smiled at him. But the face was not the heart of the beauty. Exiled eyes glowed at him, not with the hard determination of Kurt'kai, or with the mischievous sparkle of Kel'ri, but with a soothing warmth and gentleness that filled Keitaro with fuzziness.

A silvery peal of laughter echoed through the courtyard. "You flatter me…but you know, it is not exactly polite to stand there with your mouth open like that, Urashima-san."

She stood there, grinning, as Keitaro shut his mouth and stared. "My name is Cass'ko, Urashima-san. Would you walk with me please? I would like to talk with you."

Keitaro continued to stare dumbly, absolutely mesmerized.

Smiling warmly, the girl approached him, with only the faintest rustle of grass beneath her light tread, and took his wrist in her hand. The electricity of her gentle touch jolted Keitaro out of his trance and immediately filled him with nerves as the conditioned fear of contact with a woman took over.

Sensing him tense, her eyes widened slightly in an innocent, soothing stare. "Come. Let's go see the snow winds." And she began to lead the entranced Keitaro away by the wrist.

In the distance, concealed in the darkness, the lone figure of Kurt'kai smiled to himself. "**I was wondering how long it would be until she went to meet him.**" He said to nobody in particular.

"**Don't tell me you asked her to change his mind, Kurt'kai?**" Kel'ri muttered from behind him, laughter in her voice.

He shook his head. "**I knew she would want to meet him, Ri. She hovered over him the whole time he was unconscious, even when her shift was over.**"

"**That's her all over. So caring. I love her so much…but I still hate her sometimes…**"

Kurt'kai laughed. "**Jealous of her already, Ri? I do admit it would be difficult to look at any other girl with her in the room.**"

Kel'ri thumped his shoulder. "**You're terrible, Kurt'kai!**" she said in mock anger.

"**I know.**" He grinned. "**It looks like our princess already worked her magic on him. He's only known her for a few moments and he'd already do anything for her…"**

"**Kurt'kai, do you hope Keitaro will change his mind because of her?**"

"**Ri, you know me better than that. I'm sure Keitaro would only change his mind for the right reasons. He wouldn't join us just because of her. He'd know the wrong in that.** **Still, whatever he does, she's captured him already.**"

Kel'ri rolled her eyes. "**And she doesn't even realize she's doing it when she wraps men around her finger. Comes across all innocent and bashful if we tease her about it, which of course makes us all love her even more…**" She sighed. "**Why can't I be like that?**"

"**Well now, let's see…you aren't…**"

"**Another word and you'll be drinking your breakfast through a straw for the rest of your life.**"

* * *

Keitaro stared around him in wonder as they walked, the angel named Cass'ko still leading him by the hand. 

The wind blew all around them in the large, snow-speckled hills, carrying with it errant snowflakes that glistened in pale and brilliant shades of blue and white in the moonlight. The snowfall was not thick, but the falling snow blew in silvery streaks, casting a beautiful sheen over the air and earth around them. It was a wondrous sight.

"This is the only place in Japan where this happens, Urashima-san…" Cass'ko said throatily. "This is why our home is called Hoshimoto. 'The origin of the stars.'"

And indeed, the glinting snowflakes reflecting the moonlight in the wind did look like small, pale stars swimming through the air.

Cass'ko stopped in her tracks, startling Keitaro. She slowly let go of his wrist and turned around to face him.

The sight of that beautiful face once again turned Keitaro's stomach to jelly and he stared, dumb-founded, at her. She smiled at him, but her glowing eyes showed a little concern. "Er…are you okay?"

With those words, Keitaro snapped out of his trance and shook his head sluggishly. "A-a-ahh…"

Cass'ko's eyes glinted with concern. "You must still be feeling a little unsettled. Yes, I watched over you for a while when you were unconscious. You did seem quite traumatized…"

Keitaro stared at her, hoping his knees weren't shaking. The warm, glowing eyes threatened to bowl him over. "You…you…"

Her eyes changed and she frowned slightly. "I heard about…your decision, Urashima-san…"

"K-Kei-Keitaro…" he croaked.

She smiled again. "Alright…Keitaro…I heard about what you decided from Kurt'kai."

Somehow, Keitaro already felt a pang of regret.

"And…Keitaro…I know it's your decision, but…are you sure it's the right one?" Her voice was light and quiet. "I mean…I know thee must be something out there…that frightens you."

She took a step closer, the warmth of her presence startling Keitaro and turning his face a brilliant shade of red. Half of him wanted to turn and run away screaming from this angel, and the other told him to stay rooted to the spot or die.

Cass'ko's voice came out in a whisper of silk. "You were talking in your sleep, Keitaro…"

Keitaro at last managed to find his voice as the fear of having involuntarily spilled his heart managed to gain solid footing in his brain. "You…you heard it, C-Cass'ko-er-chan?"

Her face lit up as he said her name, but she merely chuckled. "Just Cass'ko, Keitaro. No need for formalities here. And yes, I heard some things…do you want to know what you said?"

Keitaro nodded slowly, still fascinated by her beautiful face, though his shock had faded.

Her eyes moved down to the ground, her lips taking on a slight pout. "You were moaning about 'too much pain', and 'no home', and 'the promise'. You sounded really upset, Keitaro…forgive me for being so forward, but are you sure you're doing the right thing?"

"I…I…" Keitaro's mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions and doubt, and still pure wonder. It was hard to be sure of anything in his position.

Since he looked lost, Cass'ko spoke again. "Keitaro, you would not have seen that phoenix unless you wanted this, somewhere deep inside some part of yourself. He only appears to the Callers and the Destined. No-one else ever sees him. Keitaro, I believe you are a Caller…"

Keitaro nodded slowly at that, not trusting himself to speak. Was he really what these strange, transformed gaijin believed he was? How could he ever know for sure?

_I don't know. I just don't know what I am anymore…or where I'm going._

"Keitaro…" Cass'ko said quietly. "I can't offer much…but if there's anything you didn't want to tell Kurt'kai for some reason, you can tell me…no-one would ever know…"

At that, her voice ringing with honesty, Keitaro's defenses fell, and he simply spoke his raw emotion. "It feels wrong! What you are, and what you're doing. It all feels so…unnatural."

Cass'ko smiled. "I felt exactly the same way when I first came. I was Destined, not a Caller, but I felt exactly the same, Keitaro. The future is always unnatural, until you learn to accept it. The concepts of natural and unnatural are the chains, the chains that hold people together and make them wary of those different from themselves."

_Now that is a point,_ Keitaro thought. _One person's unnatural could be the most normal thing in the world to another._ _All things could probably be natural, if everyone all stood at the same point of view. And that's…_

He stared at Cass'ko, who smiled knowingly at him.

"Keitaro, I think you're wrong. Excuse me for saying so, but I believe you belong here with us…the life of an Exile is not a bad thing, or unnatural. We are merely good people with rebuilt lives. Every Exile has lived twice, and been reborn, with all of their old life fading unless they wish to keep some part of it. Every Exile has suffered, like you have, and we have all seen that is it wrong…to judge, as so many others outside do."

She stepped closer to him, taking hold of his arm. Curiously, Keitaro did not feel panicked this time, though he was uncomfortable at her closeness.

"You don't need to fear my touch, Keitaro." The beautiful girl said. "I do not judge you, and I will not hurt you, and none of us will. You're a good man, Keitaro. I know that better than anyone in Hoshimoto. I heard you say it while you lay there…and I believe you."

Keitaro was shocked. Had he really said that in his sleep?

"Keitaro…" she said, her glowing blue eyes staring into his own deep brown ones. "I want you to stay…please stay with us…"

Keitaro had only ever heard those words from one other girl in his life, and the memory of what had happened when he refused her returned with a vengeance. He had not wanted to disappoint anyone, but it inevitably ended up happening. He had refused Mutsumi's wishes, and he knew he did not want to disappoint anyone else the same way.

_No!_ Keitaro thought. _I can't do something like this just for that reason. I can't do it just because one beautiful girl asked me to! What kind of man would I be if I did that!_

"I…don't…" Then he stopped.

_No judgment. No hatred. No contempt. No malice. Nothing but love, and friendship, and respect all around me. It doesn't sound bad, or unnatural, if you look at it that way. They just change…to erase all the barriers between them and be one._

It all clicked into place inside Keitaro's brain. He stared as the silvery snowflakes streaking around them.

_Exiles…they move on…the world does not…_

_There may not be any such thing as a perfect human being,_ he thought, _but from coming to this place, and everything I've seen here, there certainly is nothing closer on earth than them…_

He turned and gazed out over the hills, the snow winds still weaving across the night sky, faintly aware of Cass'ko turning and standing beside him as he thought.

He believed he saw, for a brief moment, an insubstantial eye shaped from the snowflakes over the sky, and then the winds parted the snow into two streaks that swept down the sky like a pair of falling wings.

_I called to you…and you came…and you were right…and I was wrong. Your angel made me see that.

* * *

_

Kurt'kai was sitting in the courtyard beneath the statue, waiting for Keitaro's return. He shifted his weight uncomfortably on the stone seat and pulled his coat closer around himself. When he returned, Cass'ko leading him, he stood up and smiled at her. She smiled back.

"I'm glad you got the chance to see the stars' origin before you leave, Keitaro…with our Exiled Princess" he smiled at Cass'ko, who turned slightly red as she heard yet again what the others all called her, the most beautiful Exile in Japan, though she denied it. "I'm sorry about the way I acted before, Keitaro. It's not my place to argue with you about your choices…"

"And you didn't, Kurt'kai…you were right all along…Cass'ko…your Exiled Princess…helped me" Keitaro said slowly, flicking snowflakes off his arm. Cass'ko turned even redder, staring shyly and modestly at the ground.

Then Keitaro drew himself up with the air of a man preparing himself for an announcement.

_And the Caller speaks…_Kurt'kai felt his spirits rise deep within himself. He knew what Keitaro was going to say now, and so did Cass'ko, but it needed to be said. Keitaro needed to say it to make it feel real.

"Kurt'kai…Cass'ko…thank you so much. I know now what I want. I may never find peace in life, but I know now that the path of the Exile may be the only way I could ever hope to find it at all. My own country and my own people can offer me nothing now, and I could not bear to go back and face them and their cruel, misguided judgment, or that of any other people. Perhaps the only right way is to leave it all behind, to burn away everything I suffered, and to move forward with those who know how to live without judgment, and those who can live without malice, or hatred. I want no part of the world I came from anymore. I just want to call myself…and Exile…with pride, and be one of you, and come that much closer to peace with myself and with others."

Kurt'kai grinned. "Well spoken, my friend. And peace you will have!" He approached Keitaro and embraced him like a brother, thumping him on the back. He released him, and Cass'ko, her eyes glistening with unshed tears of happiness, hugged him too, making him go red in the face.

"Well…then…Keitaro…" Kurt'kai stepped back, grinning so hard his jaw ached. "I'd better go see Jake'shi about your initiation soon. There'll be a lot to do."

Keitaro nodded. "Yes, but Kurt'kai…I need to ask you to do something for me…"

Kurt'kai smiled. "Name it, my friend."

Keitaro sighed heavily. "I may have decided what I'm going to do, but…I still left behind one responsibility I can't ignore…Hinatasou. They'll need a new manager and kanrinin…the title deed is still there…I'll never go back, not even if they ever wanted me to…but…"

Kurt'kai nodded, his face hardening slightly. "Leave it to me, Keitaro. I'll go there as soon as I can. Do you have someone in mind to take over?"

Keitaro nodded. "Perhaps…"

* * *

Far away, a lone woman stood under the night sky, staring up, wishing she could just fall into it and rid herself of all the sorrow and regret she felt.

So unfair. Why did it have to be so unfair?

Then a small shape glided through the air and landed on her outstretched arm. It looked up at her through its small eyes and began in an urgent squeak.

"Myuh…myuh…"

* * *

**Three weeks later…**

Urashima Keitaro sat outside in the courtyard, smiling politely as many of his future brethren greeted him cheerily as he was going to be initiated into their society with a massive celebration next week. The summons had been sent out to all the Exiles in Japan to return to Hoshimoto in the northeastern region of Hokkaido and greet their new brother together.

Most of his time over the last few weeks had been spent setting up his new room in Hoshimoto. He was going to live in Hoshimoto for the time being until he was ready to return to Japan. Cass'ko and Kel'ri, who had whooped with delight when she heard about his decision, had been helping him, and Keitaro had since met many new Exiles. Even Jake'shi seemed genuinely pleased on the one occasion Keitaro had seen him since then.

Of course, it hadn't all been easy. Many people had plied Keitaro with the new rules and law of the Exiles he was to follow. It didn't sound difficult, and the Exiles' rules were actually pretty flexible. Keitaro had made the decision in determination, but now he was certain he had chosen the right way, thanks to the Exiled Princess, Cass'ko, who all the Exiles seemed to love.

English. One of his worst subjects since he could remember, but now that he was going to become an Exile, he would have to learn it. More study, but more practice. Cass'ko was tutoring him, and her silvery laughter at his mistakes seemed to make it all worthwhile (and draw envious glances from passing male Exiles). Either Keitaro was suddenly changing into a very gifted student, unlikely, or Cass'ko was a great teacher.

One other trouble he had was he felt they were all pampering him a little. They were all smiles now, but what that going to last until after his initiation? He grinned inwardly at that thought. But then again, who wouldn't be happy at the excuse to throw a big party with all your brethren? Jake'shi and some other Exiles had asked him what he wanted at his ceremony, but he told them to go ahead and arrange it all.

Kurt'kai had also talked with Keitaro briefly before he left, asking Keitaro to try to join the Fables. Keitaro had never fancied himself a fighter, but now that he was going to throw off his old life and build a new one, he wanted to try everything he could. Sheathe his name in gold. Somewhere, a deep hunger for achievement had awoken inside him. "It's an Exile trait." Kel'ri said when he had mentioned this to her. "All Exiles become excited like that before and after their initiation. You'll settle down eventually, Kei-kun."

"By the way, have you thought about what name you will take?" Cass'ko had asked one day.

"Er, no, Cass'ko, not really."

"You should think about it, Kei-kun. It makes a lot of difference in the initiation…and not just in the party…" Cass'ko's tone was faintly urgent.

And Kurt'kai had been gone for most of these three weeks. He had said that he needed to return to school for a while in Tokyo, and had promised to bring the deed to the Hinatasou when he returned.

And it was then that he did.

Keitaro looked up…and there was Kurt'kai walking towards him. In one hand, he held the deed to the Hinatasou, and in the other…

Keitaro's heart skipped a beat.

With his other hand, he was leading a blindfolded Shinobu…

* * *

Jim'Van: I am so evil! I love leaving you all hanging. Yes, yes, I know you all hate me for it, but I just can't resist!

Chinh: Van! How could you! (bursts into tears)

Jim'Van: Uggh, have you broken into my stash of sake again? Anyway, why not make yourself useful and tell them what's gonna be next, Chinh?

Chinh: Yessir! A-hem! In the next chapter, the valiant hero Kurt'kai will lead Princess Shinobu down the path to Hoshimoto. The lost soul Keitaro will be reforged with a great party, but his troubles will not be over. And the dark knight named Motoko will begin to hear…

Jim'Van: Okay, okay! That'll do! Yeesh! As always, please read and review!

Chinh: Love you all, readers!

Jim'Van: Nurse! Bloody Mary please!

* * *

HOSHIMOTO – HOME OF THE EXILES OF JAPAN

EXILE FILE: 0648

EXILE NAME: CASS'KO

AGE: 16

ORIGIN: Very little is known of her past. It is believed however, that she was born in the United States by the name of Cassandra Templeman. She traveled all throughout Asia with her family of mother, brother, and father from the age of five, and opened her eyes to the different cultures in the world, learning the cornerstone beliefs of the Destined from a very young age. Her angelic combination of good looks, natural beauty, and her gentle, warm personality has always made it almost impossible to dislike her or refuse her anything, so she drew many admirers from all around as she grew, but in her modesty, she denies it to this day. Upon her return to the US, she missed Asia terribly, but she was still happy, with her natural charm putting off the hatred most Destined someday face. But several years later it appeared that not everyone liked her after all. Disaster struck when a group of jealous girls began playing cruel tricks on Cassandra. It began when she was locked into a school building overnight, and then when her food was spiked with unhealthy drugs that kept her in the bathroom for several hours. Cassandra tolerated it all without saying a word, but her persistence enraged her tormentors even further, who arranged an ambush to distort her good looks once and for all and take her down from her pedestal. But luckily enough, one of the girls realized what she was doing and pulled out to warn her. After that, Cassandra left her boarding school and went home, devastated and heartbroken by the fact that she had inadvertently offended so many. She locked herself in her room and began to dream of returning to Asia, where one foreigner loved another and jealousy took second place to the sense of sisterhood. It was then she became truly Destined. She left the USA with her father and came to Japan. At the age of 15, it was Kurt'kai who found her in international school. Kurt'kai told Cass that he wanted to show her something. Cass had not particularly liked this quiet, withdrawn boy, but agreed in her sweet nature to see what he had to show her. Taken to Hoshimoto by Kurt'kai, she learned of the Exiles and our society. She was initially horrified at how we absorbed foreign energy to change ourselves into a separate branch of humanity, but after she left, she began to feel the pull of the life of the Exile. She was initiated three months later, adding the Japanese suffix 'ko' to her name. Her beauty and good nature were unchanged by her transformation, and she became known as 'the Exiled Princess'. Though she is not affiliated with any particular caste of the Exiles, she has always stood as the figurehead of the Exiled society and has made us vastly more popular.


	9. Rebirth

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. They are the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and his associates. I do however, own the Exiles and all other characters in this fic unless specifically stated otherwise. I also own a large bar full of G&Ts for inspiration of my writing. That's why they call my fics 'waterlogged'.

**Author:** Hey, world of ficcies. I'm back and blue! However, just a little bit nervous as I just learned that more people die of falling coconuts than from shark attacks in the world every year. And my place is _surrounded_ by coconut trees! What an embarrassing way to go! (**Chinh:** Dispel that mental image you just had of sandy, tropical beaches! We're living in the slums downtown!)

**Author:** Shaddap! Anyway, since my last few chapters, I've been getting questions, like 'do the Exiles really exist?' And the answer to that is, yes, they do. But not quite in the same way I portray them in this fic. The 'real' Exiles are commonly called TCKs ('third culture kids'). I don't have all day to explain what they are. It's complicated. Check Wikipedia for a detailed explanation. I was a TCK myself. There is no actual organized TCK 'race' in the world…well, not yet anyway. But I hope that will change soon.

Right-o, lost myself there. Chinh, please?

**Chinh:** In this chapter, we will learn of the rippling change in the heart of Hinatasou, a new dark enemy approaching, and finally, the moment you've all been waiting for! You know what it is! On with the show!

Love Hina: The Exiles

_- The Exiles have not existed long, yet there are many. Exiles may exist in any country over the world, but at present, there are four established Exiled tribes: the 'Jedaiahim' Exiles of Japan, the 'Jeshuahim' Exiles of China, the 'Solomonim' Exiles of South Korea, and the 'Asaphim' Exiles of Vietnam._

_- The Exiles' existence is generally kept secret for the safety of their society. Traditionalists have been known to frown upon the Exiles for their way of life and once there was an attack on the Jedaiahim by a fanatic Japanese doomsday cult, the Kuroi-yuhii. The attack failed, but since that time, it has been apparent that if the world as a whole ever came to realize the existence of the Exiles, the Children of the Phoenix would one way or another be quickly disposed of._

Chapter 9: Rebirth

Aoyama Motoko sat quietly upon her futon, her eyes closed and legs folded under her in the lotus position. Her arms rested lightly on her knees as the reddish-gold light of the setting sun fell into her room through the window.

Her posture and face were calm. Who would guess that such a contrast lay beneath the peaceful exterior?

_Voracious parasite! Cancer of the land! How dare he steal the _ki_ of my country to fuel that abominable existence of his!_

Motoko's face twisted into a scowl at the memory of what her sister had told her.

"_He is a fallen human, Motoko-han. His kind are somehow able to change their bodies into receptive vortexes for the _ki_ of our country. They have thrown off all of the traditions of their original race and live here together in a Fallen society, though no-one knows exactly where. They even refuse to accept the spiritual _ki_ of their former race. True rebels."_

_Ane-ue would say no more. Strange. She seems to almost fear these parasites. How could that possibly be? Does she not realize that he-…_they_ should all be put down? Prevented from stealing the _ki_ that rightfully belongs only to us Japanese? Not only that, but their very existence is a blatant violation of bushido. 'Accept the hand that life deals you without question and follow your lord and people.' This was the first rule of the Shinmeiryu writings!_

_And these…creatures…violate the very foundation of Shinmeiryu beliefs._

_Why is it that Ane-ue will do nothing?_

At the inner turmoil, Motoko gave up trying to meditate and opened her eyes. Standing in one motion, she began to pace the floor of her 'room' which could easily have been a duplicate of a Japanese History Museum exhibit. There was a small household shrine in one corner, with the incense still burning slowly down the sticks before the altar. The full suit of samurai armor, modeled to specially fit a woman, stood against the far wall, and a sword rack holding three blades stood on the other.

Motoko glanced sadly over at the empty top notch on the rack. The shisui that Tsuruko had given her after the Kyoto incident had been snapped in two by that cursed Fallen: a terrible thing for any Shinmeiiryu to suffer. It was considered an evil omen by her school. She would have to make do, very uncomfortably, without a sword for a while until her new one was delivered. The useless katana on the second notch down was purely ceremonial and had no practical use at all, and the wakizashi below that was very nearly as blunt and too short for any decent training.

The other sword on the bottom notch was the only blade she did not dare to use for fear of the safety of others. The dark Hina Blade had been quarantined here in her room, gathering dust, ever since she had received the new shisui. It was sharp, well-balanced, and light to use, but it was home to a shrieking demon that often muttered discontentedly into Motoko's ears late at night. That did not bother her, as she knew the seal she placed on the blade would hold it tight, but recently, since that Fallen male stole Urashima away, Su had taken to crawling into bed with Motoko again and crying herself to sleep, despite Motoko's hushed protests. She feared the Hina Blade would try to tempt Su if she did not do something about this.

_I must do something about these parasitic gaijin. Why did Ane-ue not tell me about this before?_

_(Your sister fears them.) _A high, cold voice echoed lowly in her ear.

_Be silent, demon! I warned you before that I would destroy you for good if you did not!_

Motoko glared angrily at the Hina Blade, the inhabitant of which had just muttered his loudest yet. The spirit within the blade hummed with a sound that Motoko had come to equate with its laughter.

_(The inept Shinmeiiryu harlot threatens me! Perhaps you could, little blade! You could break my vessel and me into shards, but you will not. Shall I tell you why? Because what would you do with my detritus? You know as well as I that if any mortal stepped on my grave, I could be resurrected and released. That is why you keep me here as your prisoner, little Aoyama!)_

_Do not try to provoke me! You are powerless!_ Motoko forced her attention from the sword's scathing reply and sat down again, sighing. Dealing with that evil entity was becoming more and more tiresome. There had to be somewhere else to put it.

But right now there were other problems to consider. The other tenants were still in shock about what had happened before she had returned from Kyoto. Naru was a mess, hiding out in her room and crying all day, much to Motoko's disgust. No man was worth such weakness over, and especially not Urashima. In spite of the kindnesses she admitted he'd done for her from time to time, Motoko had long ago convinced herself that Urashima was merely masquerading in order to build a bond of trust, and so hope to have a better chance of finding his way into one of the tenants' underwear. Wasn't that (and alcohol) all that men ever thought of?

Motoko shook her head in disgust. Males. She hated them all. A male had been the cause of most of her trouble in recent months, and no matter how many times she disciplined Urashima, he seemed to never cease his perverted actions. That same male had made a sniveling weakling out of her Naru-sempai through his actions. Another foul male creature had broken her sword and used his abominable powers to turn her own energy against her.

If there was any male in the world that she could hate more than that abomination Kurt'kai though, it would have to be that male that turned her older sister into a weak, sniveling ghoul who hovered over his gravesite for days without pause.

The Shinmeiiryu had called it a tragedy that revered sword master and _bushido_ philosopher Miura Isamu had fallen stone dead into his teacups on the same evening of his marriage to his betrothed, Aoyama Tsuruko. For days, the elders had been mystified as to the cause of his death until they decided it was of more importance to protect the sanity of the living. Tsuruko loved Isamu deeply, and she stayed by his lifeless form day and night without eating or sleeping until two powerful warriors managed to pull her away, weeping, from her husband.

She had been returned, insensate and inconsolable, to Motoko. Motoko had truly felt sorry for her older sister, but somewhere, in the deepest, darkest corner of her heart, she was glad there was no longer a disgusting male between them.

Even so, the memory of her husband and the dislike for him that Tsuruko knew her younger sister possessed had still managed to carry that effect, hence Motoko's current living arrangement.

Motoko had grown in mind as well as body, and she had begun to drop the god-like image she held of her older sister. Motoko now believed that her sister was capable of making the wrong decisions, and of being foolish, and so she naturally assumed this was the case in her sister's trust of men, much to her Ane-ue's dismay.

As long as Motoko carried her hatred of the male gender, and Isamu in particular, Tsuruko would not allow her to inherit the Shinmeiiryu position that she had relinquished. Motoko knew this, but somehow, she still could not bring herself to grant her sister's wishes. She still believed she was right, and her Ane-ue was wrong.

And wasn't that Urashima the very epitome of why she, Aoyama Motoko, was right? Of course he was!

Still, if she managed to find him, she would find the foul Fallen, Kurt'kai, and she would find the path to justice.

Motoko squared her shoulders and made for the _shoji_. The place to start was obviously in Naru's room…

She would prove her worth.

She would show her sister and all the Shinmeiiryu that she was right, and that she was worthy to lead the Shinmeiiryu…

…by scouring Japan of the vile infestation of the Fallen.

Sakata Kentaro wasn't a bad man.

Oh, sure, he had made a few mistakes here and there. In retrospect, smashing through the floor of Hinatasou in his mecha-rocket to cart his most unappreciative passenger seat princess across Hinata hadn't been a very good idea. And, yes, his attempts at wily seduction had earned him the title of town pervert, and his one-time pass at Kitsune had left him in a truly humiliating position. Yes, he'd made mistakes indeed.

But he wasn't a bad man, was he?

Hadn't he done enough to help? He didn't believe in true love, but since he had given up on the ungrateful Narusegawa, hadn't he done everything in his power to try to help Urashima Keitaro find the best path for himself? Hadn't he meekly followed all of Haruka's commands and tolerated all her insults with the full determination to pay off his debts to her?

And what had he got for it? _Nothing! Squat! Zip!_

The Hinata girls still avoided him like the plague, Haruka was still making him slave away in her darned teashop day and night, and he was no closer to his fortune or future than he had been before he came to Hinata. And he had tolerated it all.

But…not anymore.

He pulled off the Hinata Teahouse apron roughly and threw it down onto the floor before storming over to the counter where Haruka was watching him mildly with half-open eyes and a cigarette dangling from her lips.

"I will not stand for this anymore, Haruka-san!" he bellowed angrily. "I've slaved in this place for you for months! I know I should've paid off my debts a long time ago if I had a fair judgment on this! I want out! And I want it now! I hate it here!"

Haruka merely gazed at him silently without changing expression. The eternal poker face betrayed absolutely no expression. Haruka was a professional. A businesswoman. And if there was a way to resolve this issue, then she figured shouting back, arguing, and calling Kentaro names wasn't it. Apparently, being told her employment was hated didn't strike a cord either.

Purple in the face with his suppressed anger, Kentaro drew in his breath with a sharp hiss and spat out "I'm wasting my time here, Haruka-san. I'm not getting anything and nothing's changing. I want to leave."

Haruka repositioned herself slightly on her stool and sighed slightly before removing her cigarette from her mouth and extinguishing it in the ashtray. She just stared straight ahead for a minute before opening her mouth.

"Go then." She said blandly.

"Wha-!" Kentaro was surprised. He hadn't expected her to shout back, true, but he hadn't expected this either. He thought Haruka would merely have bashed him over the head with a tray and told him to get back to work, or she would have ignored his little show completely and reminded him he still had debts to pay.

What he hadn't expected was Haruka's poker face to look away from him and set him free straight away. _I'm free! No, it can't be true!_

"Go, Kentaro." Haruka repeated, staring ahead. "I'm sorry. I kept you here because I thought it was good for you. I thought you liked it here, and I thought you were becoming a better person and learning your lesson working here with me…and apparently I was wrong…"

Kentaro couldn't believe his ears.

Haruka stood up and stepped behind the counter. There was the wooden rustle of a drawer opening and a heavy thump as Haruka dropped a full envelope on the counter. She pushed it over to him, and, stupefied, Kentaro mutely opened it to find it was full of crisp yen notes.

He stared at Haruka. She sighed slightly. "You didn't think I would keep you here slaving away for nothing, did you? You paid off all your debts weeks ago. Since then I've been keeping your wages in there. Like I said, I thought you liked it here, so I kept it for you until I was sure you were staying…"

"Ha-haruka-san…what are you…"

"Oh, shut up. You've made your decision. Now go away." And she went back to studying the far wall, lighting another cigarette.

He stood there, staring at her for a minute, before turning and walking towards the door.

Should he stay?

No. He had other things he wanted to do with his life and he wasn't going to get them in Haruka's teashop, whether she turned out to be a slave driver or not.

He opened the door and stepped out.

Once he was gone, Haruka sighed and lowered her head.

First Keitaro and now Sakata. She was starting to think that all her attempts to help her boys grow up were in vain. She had taken Keitaro and then Sakata under her wing in an attempt to make real men out of them…but she had failed on both accounts.

It seemed that now both of them had to do it on their own.

She turned and stared behind her at the note still sitting on the counter where she had left it. She had found it just the other day after returning to her teashop from a shopping trip.

"_To Urashima Haruka,_

_Shinobu and your nephew are in good hands. Don't try to find them; you won't succeed. But Keitaro is where he needs to be, and he is well on his way to building a new and happy life. Shinobu will return. The deed to the Hintatasou will be passed on to the next kanrinin, whom Keitaro will choose. Do not worry, you will see him again. You are family after all. Keitaro sends his best wishes._

_- A friend."_

And it was shortly after reading it that Haruka had burst outside to see two figures walking down the steps and into town.

"Detective Takahashi?"

"Yes?"

"Don't bother following up on the Urashima case now. We're closing it."

"What! But, Chief, this is a case of kidnapping! We can't just shelve it!"

"Yes, we can, detective. And we are. We're putting it in with the 'dark cases'."

"The case is being hushed up by the commissioner, sir?"

"Yes. Whatever it is, we're getting orders from upstairs that it's closed. It 's obviously something way over our heads that's going on, I'm afraid…"

"…Sure, Chief."

"Sempai…I'm not leaving…"

Kurt'kai sat uncomfortably between Keitaro and Shinobu as they stared at each other over the tea table. The air was heavy with tension, a feeling the Exile did not like one bit. Keitaro sat mutely as Shinobu, tears in her eyes, gazed beck at him.

"Sempai…d-don't you remember what I said? I said that I wouldn't trust the world without you there. I m-meant it, Sempai! I don't want to leave you! Please let me stay here!"

"Shinobu-chan…" Keitaro said heavily. "I'm only here because there's no other way for me. There's nothing else I can do to find my purpose in life. I've lost all the hope I ever had in my old life…but you…you have a bright future ahead of you, Shinobu-chan."

Shinobu shook her head vehemently and drew a deep breath. "Sempai…do you know what it was like for me before I met you! I was always teased at school! And I came home to a house with nothing but scr-screaming!"

Tears poured silently down Shinobu's face. Kurt'kai remembered what she had told him about her and her sempai during the long flight back to Hoshimoto. She had dropped all her defenses against him with his promise that she would see her sempai again, and she had told him everything he had ever done for her…when Kurt'kai had asked.

He knew the memory of her parents' arguments was a painful one which Shinobu tried so hard to forget. Indeed, her world had all been hostile to her before she had met him, and he dimly wondered just how she had managed to survive with such bad feelings always swimming through the air in every waking moment of her life. It had all pressed down and crushed her into the small, vulnerable creature she had been when Keitaro had found her and brought her to the Hinatasou.

Keitaro had been commended since then several times for helping Shinobu escape from her painful life and build up her strength in the Hinatasou, but he had modestly dismissed it all as merely an act any man would have done and instead believed Shinobu was responsible for her own salvation.

In any case, it seemed now that he had always been the rock that Shinobu had clung to, and now she wanted to follow him. Hinatasou, Hinata itself, and what little she had gathered there since moving away from her parents, certainly meant nothing to her without her sempai.

Kurt'kai shifted his weight again and spoke slowly. "Keitaro…"

Both pairs of eyes looked at him.

"Er…this is none of my business but…from what Shinobu-chan told me on the way here…I think she needs you…"

Keitaro's expression tightened. "I thought you, of all people, would understand why Shinobu needs to go home, Kurt'kai. She has so much waiting for her there."

Kurt'kai shook his head. "Keitaro, you can't be so dismissive about this. If it wasn't for you, Shinobu might have lapsed into depression…or worse. It might be hard to accept, but since you saved her from that terrible fate…well, to speak bluntly…by the Law of the Exiles that makes her your responsibility."

Keitaro sighed and pinched bridge of his nose. "Shinobu-chan doesn't need me anymore, Kurt'kai. She can take care of herself now."

"No, Sempai!" Shinobu half-shouted. "I want to be here with you. I don't care if I have to leave Hinatasou! I don't care what you're going to become. You're still my Sempai! And I'm never leaving you! No matter what!"

Keitaro looked at her silently for a few moments. Then he quietly got up and walked around the table to sit beside Shinobu. Then he reached out, drew her close and embraced her.

"I-I can't thank you enough, Shinobu-chan." He said sadly, before holding her shaking body against him and burying his face into her shoulder. Kurt'kai knew it was to hide the tears he was sure Keitaro was holding back.

Shinobu slowly pulled away from him. She wasn't blushing. No, her face was just its normal, pale hue, with only the slight downturn of her mouth and the half-closed eyes showing her sadness and relief. She had no reason to blush. There was no longer any reason to hide her feelings behind a scarlet veil. Maybe he didn't want her to stay. Maybe he didn't love her in the way she wished. But she was near to her sempai again. Clinging to her rock, her hope, and that was all that mattered.

Kurt'kai, feeling uncomfortable again, stood in one motion and tried to walk away to give them a few moments alone.

But Shinobu reached out and caught his hand.

Surprised, the Exile stared down at her, and Shinobu slowly turned to face him, her eyes pleading.

He had saved Keitaro. And now he had saved her.

So far as Shinobu was concerned, he was one with them.

Kurt'kai stayed.

Taichi Akiko sat trembling at the dinner table.

Her mother, Seiko, was also faintly nervous. It seemed that whenever Akiko's uncle came for a visit, the explosion always happened after the beer started flowing. She was inwardly thankful that these beer-soaked visits were less frequent now as her uncle was so busy with his new position.

"I HATE THEM, I HATE THEM ALL!" Taichi Akio slammed his bottle down onto the fragile wood, denting the dinner table.

"Come now, Akio…" said Akiko's father, Hiroshi, nervously. "Akiko is here. Please don't make such a scene when she's around."

Akio sneered at his younger brother and pointed a finger at him rudely. "Little Akiko has the right to know the ugly truth about this world, Hiroshi. Since you won't tell her the harsh truth, someone else has to do it for you! You should be thanking me, boy! If I hadn't made you grow a good set of balls when we were kids, you would've been kicked around your whole life!"

Akiko looked down at her feet unhappily as her father bristled. This always happened. She hated her uncle. While it was true that he was the new government prefect of their district, and had taught her father to fight for his current position and given him money for university, it didn't give him the right to come in and scapegoat on her family. Her uncle no longer had a family of his own. His wife had left him many years ago, and his only son had run away from home shortly afterwards. One of the great ironies of Akiko's life was that she had been given a similar name to her uncle's in the attempt to please him.

"Heh, oh alright. If you can't take the truth, Hiroshi, I won't rub your face in it. Right! Why don't we have another?" Akio rubbed his hands briskly.

Perhaps in the attempt to divert Akio's attention from beer, Seiko cleared her throat and turned to Akiko. "Why don't you tell your uncle about school, Akiko?"

Akiko gulped silently, and was aware of her uncle turning his head away and scowling to show his reluctance to be pulled away from his next drink.

"Er…well, it…er…has been a lot of fun…" Akiko said lamely.

Her uncle immediately snapped his gaze back to her.

"Heh heh, it's okay, Akiko. You don't have to lie." Her uncle said, smiling wolfishly. "I know the schools in Hinata suck! I know the whole stinking town sucks! And mark my words, Akiko, your old uncle is going to sort it out!" He leaned over and clapped Akiko on the shoulder painfully, making her wince.

"I-it's not so bad, sir." She protested feebly. Big mistake. She could see her uncle's face taking on the ugly red hue as it always did whenever someone disagreed with him on a high alcohol level.

She quickly decided to change her stance. "B-but I do admit that…it hasn't been much fun s-since Shinobu became so unhappy."

"Oh-ho-ho!" Her uncle chuckled, cupping a fist in the air. "Your little friend, eh? She must be the only good one in that stinkhole! Well, don't worry, honey, your old uncle can sort out anyone who's making your friend unhappy! What's his name, eh?"

"I-I don't think anyone's really been making her unhappy, sir…" Akiko said weakly into her uncle's frightening yellow grin. "B-but, she's been so quiet ever since a ,er, gaijin visited her home when I went their for dinner."

At that, Taichi Akio's face darkened again and he quickly sat back with a thump in his chair, a broad scowl creasing his features. It was common knowledge in the family that he hated gaijin, and everything to do with them. No-one knew why, and they never dared ask him to his face. Perhaps it was how much Kanagawa had to rely on the tourist industry?

"A gaijin, eh? I might've known!" He growled deeply.

"Well, I didn't like him much, sir…but I don't really think that Kurt'kai-kun upset Shinobu so m-…"

She was cut off right there. Her uncle's face was barely an inch from hers. Akiko grimaced unconsciously at his beer breath.

Taichi Akio was staring hard at her. Slowly, he spoke. His voice was quieter than usual.

"What, Akiko! What did you say!"

"Ah…" She started to shake. "I said that Shinobu was acting so strangely since-…"

"HIS NAME, AKIKO!" Her uncle suddenly shouted, almost making her topple backwards in her chair.

Hiroshi stood up. He wasn't going to have this. "I think you've had enough for one night, Akio!"

"QUIET, HIROSHI! Your daughter knows! She knows! His name, Akiko! _What was that gaijin's name!_"

Akiko whimpered and said quietly. "K-Kurt'kai. I…I think he said Kurt'kai, sir…"

Keitaro sat quietly on the cushion of his new room in Hoshimoto. He raised his eyes from his book and let his gaze travel over the bare whitewashed walls of his new home. The furniture was all simple bamboo, and one simple vase resting on the coffee table before him with a simple rose in it. But that too could be fixed in time.

Shinobu sat opposite him, quietly reading another book that Kurt'kai had given her. The title read '_A Doll's House_' by Henrik Ibsen. The translated version of this theatre play might've been a little difficult for most Japanese to understand, but Keitaro understood fully that Kurt'kai had probably given Shinobu that book to read in her spare time for a reason.

Keitaro was reading something completely different. Open before him was a slim black volume with only a white and red Japanese flag printed on the front. But no, it wasn't a Japanese flag. The red sun possessed the same design he had seen on Kurt'kai's hoodie the first time he came to the Hinatasou. Several white lines, broadening and slimming at different points, spanned diagonally across the red sun to form the picture of a bird diving, with talons bared, over the sun.

The symbol of the Jedaiahim. The Exiles of Japan.

He read the Japanese edition's words over and over again, his mind clearer than it had ever been when he had studied. He was reading this now for his whole life, his whole being, rather than just his education.

"_An Exile follows only the path of good, both good for the society and the individual, and in the event that these conflict with each other, the Exile follows the action that places the benefit of others before the Exile. The following simple laws must be followed to uphold the Exiles' way of life:_

_One, an Exile must never deliberately harm anyone, except in self-defense, in training, or on the field of battle. Acts of violence on bases outside this area will not be tolerated. Murder is not tolerated under any circumstances, except in the event of war._

_Two, an Exile will not bear stereotypical judgment against anyone. Judgment on the individual basis, whether positive or negative, is allowed. But judgment of others, Exiled or otherwise, made on the basis of gender, race, religion, sexuality or any other general characteristic is a violation of the Exile universal acceptance and will not be tolerated._

_Three, an Exile still obeys the laws of modern non-Exile society when blending in with the host country. Respect the host country and its citizens. An Exile must never be arrogant and aloof. Actions of arrogance will not be tolerated._

_Four, an Exile must never attempt to coerce anyone into any action, whether by trickery, blackmail, physical force, or any other means. Coercion into unwilling acts is a violation of the Exiles' way of life and will not be tolerated._

_Five, an Exile must show compassion, understanding, and sympathy to those in need. All Exiles, Destined and Calling, have been among those unfairly mistreated by society and must do all they can to help those in the same situation._

_Six, an Exile must keep the existence of Exiled society secret, except for certain trustees amongst the host country's population. For the safety of the society, it must remain undiscovered. Revealing the Exiles to individuals outside the circle will not be tolerated._

_Finally, and most importantly, an Exile must never commit an act of Savagery, except in the direst of emergencies, or in its secret use. Savagery is extremely dangerous and a blatant violation of another's rights and the Exiles' way of life and it will not be tolerated._

_Any Exile who breaks these laws will be summoned to account for their transgressions before the Leader or equivalent Exile leadership, and, if found guilty of serious breach, will be drained of their power and expelled from the society. In the case of serious criminal activity, they will also be given a criminal referral to the host country's law enforcement._

_But if followed, these rules will ensure a peaceful and safe future for us and all our kind. For we are the Exiles, the Children of the Phoenix, and none shall ever deny us the power and life that belongs to us ever again._

Clear enough, Keitaro thought. He didn't think he would have any trouble following most of these rules, but the last one puzzled him. Savagery? What was that exactly?

He sighed and set the book down. Trying so hard wouldn't accomplish anything. He was trying, but failing, to draw his mind away from what was going to happen tomorrow.

He was going to be initiated.

Kurt'kai and the others had cautioned him that the Exile transformation wasn't going to be easy…and in some ways more than a little uncomfortable. They said he would have to think with absolute clarity to succeed…something that he, Urashima Keitaro, was not particularly good at.

It wasn't necessary to say he was nervous. Everyone else could see it. Shinobu never left his side. She had accepted his decision to become an Exile without question, and seemingly no surprise at all. Keitaro wondered just how much she understood. What had Kurt'kai told her?

Shinobu looked up from her book and caught his gaze for a moment. She then blushed and quickly cast her gaze back into her book. She may have changed a little since he had seen her last, but she was still adorable little Shinobu-chan, much to Cass'ko's delight, who seemed to absolutely love her.

He was then broken out of his thoughts by a tap on the door.

"Come in. It's open." Keitaro called, wondering who would be dropping in at such a late hour.

The door opened…and Cass'ko walked in. Keitaro felt his stomach turn to jelly again at that beautiful face before he recovered himself. "G-good evening, Cass'ko."

The Exiled Princess smiled warmly. "Hello Kei-kun…and hello, Shinobu-chan." She said throatily, making Shinobu turn red. Keitaro had no clue why, but Shinobu always red in the face when Cass'ko spoke to her. It seemed that even Shinobu was shy under the affection of Cass'ko.

Cass'ko smiled and said "Kei-kun…I wanted to speak with you. I thought you might be nervous about tomorrow, hmmm?"

Keitaro nodded slowly. He couldn't try to tell a manly lie right now even if he had wanted to. Then he sighed. "Oh, forgive me. Please sit down, Cass'ko."

"Thankyou." She slipped gracefully onto a cushion before the coffee table before Shinobu. Keitaro took the seat between them. He stared at Cass'ko, still amazed at her beauty. Right now, her hair was twisted into a golden bun at the back of her head, and she wore only a pair of baggy pants and a white top, but even now, she looked the vision of loveliness in a human shell…or was she human?

Were any of them human? Would he still be human after tomorrow?

"I-I'm nervous, Cass'ko…" Keitaro said slowly. "I still don't know what exactly will happen to me tomorrow…"

Cass'ko nodded. "That might be true, but I'm sorry, Kei-kun, I can't tell you. If I did, it would change things drastically when you go through the transformation. You see, Kei-kun…you need to enter the initiation in ignorance and follow it through in blind faith for it to succeed."

Keitaro nodded. "I'm committed, Cass'ko. Don't worry."

Cass'ko smiled again, with just a trace of warning. "Remember, Kei-kun…there's no going back once the ceremony starts…"

Keitaro nodded again, swallowing slightly. He may not know what he was in for, but if it meant the new life he had been promised, he would do anything. He trusted Kurt'kai now as he had never trusted anyone else…with his life.

"Er…Cass'ko…" he began slowly. "I read something else in the book…something I don't know about yet."

"What is it, Kei-kun? I'll tell you if I can."

"Savagery…what is that?"

Cass'ko sighed. "The biggest hypocrisy of some unfortunate Exiles, Kei-kun. Those who fall prey to greed, hunger…or anger. It's a violation of everything the Exiles stand for and in some ways it's worse than killing." Her face was grim now. "Savagery is when an Exile absorbs energy…let's call it _ki…_from its richest source…even greater than that of the land. Can you guess what that is, Kei-kun?"

Keitaro frowned and looked down. What could the richest deposit of _ki_ be?

Cass'ko's voice was very serious now. "A human. An Exile can draw _ki_ from any source, even the bodies and souls of others. The greatest concentration of _ki_ is found in a person, and some misguided Exiles and other _ki-_drinking entities can draw it from them. As a result, they gain much _ki_ and a lot of power…but the poor soul they draw it from will suffer severe weakness and spirit drain…that's why we call it Savagery. It's an unforgivable act by the Exiles' rules. Such a thing violates all the rights of another human being…"

Cass'ko shook her head, closing her eyes and sighing. "Unfortunately, some Exiles have been in situations where they were unable to resist gorging themselves on the _ki_ of others once they got a taste…and we had no choice but to cast them out for what they did. Afterwards, they were so guilty about what they had done, but they accepted their punishment, and after a while…we thought we could welcome them back…but Jake'shi forbade it. He said that all those who commit Savagery can never truly be Exiles. And who knows? Maybe he's right…"

Keitaro gulped. It seemed there was a dark side to the Exiles' life also. As he pondered Cass'ko's words, he wondered faintly just how his first taste of _ki_ would feel the next evening…

There was another knock on the door suddenly.

"Come in!" Keitaro called again, and then Kurt'kai stepped in, with Kel'ri in tow.

Keitaro smiled, feeling a little better. Any moral support right now would be fine by him. Keitaro's looming sense of dread over the point of no return approaching was making him nervous and gloomy, and he was glad to see them now, when he needed them the most.

However, it seemed Kurt'kai wasn't there to give moral support. He looked rather grim himself. His long, normally smiling face was etched with worry. He was wearing his black martial arts uniform. Keitaro had never seen him wear it before, and he looked very different in it. Kurt'kai usually dressed easily and scruffily, but he looked an entirely different person in this state. Wearing his uniform, he looked lean and tough. Kel'ri was also in her black robe, and her slender build was only accentuated further by the tight black belt pulled over her waist. She was also wearing a dark green beret.

"Good evening Keitaro. Good evening ladies." He said solemnly, casting a glance in Shinobu and Cass'ko's direction. "How are you feeling, Keitaro?"

Keitaro's face fell as his ray of hope was extinguished. "I…I'm not too good right now…"

The Exile nodded in understanding. "Try not to worry. It won't accomplish anything, Keitaro. Best advice we can give you is just to try to have a clear head tomorrow…"

Kel'ri nodded in agreement next to him. "It'll be easier if you don't worry, Kei-kun. But…sorry…that's not why we're here."

Keitaro frowned. Kurt'kai looked as though he agreed with him. "Sorry, Keitaro. It's about your future as a Fable. You want to join the Fables, don't you?" They approached the table and sat. Keitaro thought his new room was getting a little crowded.

"Er…yeah." Keitaro answered uneasily. The truth was, he hadn't seriously thought about whether to join the Exiled Fables. He had just made the decision in euphoria, and since then, the looming initiation and nerves had definitely put a dampener on Keitaro's enthusiasm for that particular decision. In other words, his mouth ran ahead of his head again.

Kurt'kai sighed. "Well, Kel'ri and I just got out of training. We spoke with Sim…I'm afraid to say he's not keen on the idea, Keitaro…"

Then Kel'ri, whom Keitaro noticed with surprise was not being all friendly and bubbly right now, turned her head to one side with an iron-hard scowl on her face and snorted. "The last we saw of him, Sim was blowing up like a darn volcano!"

Kurt'kai shook his head. Keitaro didn't know if it was because of Kel'ri or Sim. "Perhaps 'not keen' is a bit of an understatement. Maybe I should say 'totally opposed' to the idea. He absolutely refuses to train a Japanese Fable it seems…"

Shinobu looked up in surprise while Cass'ko raised her eyebrows. "Do you know why, Kurt'kai?"

He groaned. "I can make a good guess…but never mind. I'll run it by Sim again at a different time. He'll think I'm nuts, but I'll talk him into it. Sorry, Keitaro, it seems we can't take you down for a pre-initiation taste of Fable training after all…"

Inwardly, Keitaro was relieved, but he tried not to show it. He remembered faintly that as a boy in Kanagawa, he had once tried to learn his family's martial art style, but he had failed miserably, falling and hurting his knee, and since then he had never been particularly enthusiastic about any kind of training.

Not just that, but from what Keitaro had learned of Sim, he was nervous about even looking at him. He had seen Sim on the grounds of Hoshimoto several times since his arrival, and he seemed to be even more withdrawn than most of the others in Hoshimoto. Even the other Exiles seemed to be wary of him too.

Keitaro guessed that, whoever Sim was, he wasn't someone he would much enjoy training under if he became a Fable. But it was Kurt'kai's recommendation, and Keitaro knew that he wanted to get his new life right. He had been given a second chance, and he intended to make a better person of himself in his second life…

…starting tomorrow.

Keitaro looked up to see all the Exiles looking at him. The same thing was etched on all their faces. They were looking at who would be...the next night…their brother.

Kurt'kai and Kel'ri still looked grim, but Cass'ko smiled faintly at him, as though she had just heard all of Keitaro's thoughts…and shared them.

"I think you might be ready now, Kei-kun…" she said throatily.

Keitaro drew in a deep breath. _I hope so…_

Shinobu merely looked down shyly, and did not say a word. It was impossible for Keitaro to guess what she was thinking.

"It's almost time, sir."

"Don't call me 'sir', Kurt'kai. I'm willing to go through with this, but I must be more nervous about it than he is…"

"C'mon, Jake'shi! We're doing what we should do as Exiles."

"Yes…but there's still the political ramifications to consider. Our government contacts went into an uproar when I told them we were initiating a Japanese Caller. They said we would never be able to walk in their cities again."

Kurt'kai snorted. "Empty threats from powerless windbags. The guys higher up love us because of all the 'taxes' we're giving them. They'll never be able to do anything."

Jake'shi glared at him, and then held up three fingers. "Rule three, Kurt'kai: don't be so arrogant! If we push these men too far, there will be trouble, just like I said…"

Kurt'kai shook his head. "It's not arrogance, Jake'shi, just common sense. You know the government only appointed our so-called supervisors just to put a public face on our treaty and so that they could deal with us under the table."

Jake'shi sighed. "Has anyone ever told you you're too blunt? They just might manage to get us in trouble if they start raving about a kidnapping to their superiors you know."

"True," the younger Exile agreed. "But all the same, we haven't technically done anything illegal. We only offered Keitaro 'rescue' that night, and 'asylum', to use the political terms, and he accepted."

Jake'shi shook his head. "I'm afraid not everyone might see it the same way you do. But, nevertheless, the die is cast…"

He looked up at the night sky, clasping his hands behind his back. "Tonight, we awaken another lost soul into Exile…"

It was night. The full moon peeked uneasily through the dark clouds overhead, casting a silvery sheen over the sloping mountain landscape in Hoshimoto. The empty, artificial hollows of the hot springs before the pine woods held only pools of darkness that the moonlight could not penetrate. There was no scamper of nocturnal animals and no hooting of hunting owls. There was not even the rustle of wind. All was still and quiet.

Then, suddenly, there was movement. One dark shadow began to move slowly towards the empty springs…and then there was another, and then another, and then shortly there was a small crowd moving towards the hot springs.

"**We're too early.**" One child's voice complained.

"**Oh, come on now. If we get there early, we get to see them set it all up!**" said another.

Sure enough, more figures turned up in pairs, threes, smaller groups, and very soon there were hundreds of figures standing near the Hoshimoto hot springs.

As if that crowd was what the moon had been waiting for, the clouds slowly parted overhead, and the moonlight shone down, revealing the figures.

Their eyes all glowed in the moonlight. The silver moonrays struck their white robes and illuminated them in the same silvery sheen. The robes looked just like ancient Japanese _kimono_, but they were all restyled by the short-cut jacket hems and the gold rims on the arm cuffs. This bastardized _kimono_ was their ceremonial dress, depicting their acknowledgement, but not _assimilation_, of their host country's culture.

For these people no longer assimilated any culture…except their own.

And then, suddenly, with a great rumble of conversation arising from the crowd as they did so, another group carrying large white torches marched down to meet them.

"**Alright, it's starting!**" muttered the child excitedly, gazing at the approaching figures.

They too were all clad in white bastardized _kimono_ with the symbol of the Jedaiahim, the Phoenix diving through the red sun of Japan, emblazoned proudly on their backs.

All except one.

This young, bespectacled man wore a simple shirt and trousers, and did not wear the Jedaiahim robe, as he did not yet have the right.

And that was why he was here.

The tall figure leading the column held the torch up to his face, revealing a pale, freckled face, long sideburns and a mop of fiery red hair.

Jedaiahim Exile Leader Jake'shi cleared his throat and called out to his assembled brethren.

"**My Brothers and Sisters! I bring you a Caller!**"

There was an excited ripple through the assembled hundreds of Jedaiahim from all corners of Japan. Jake'shi waved his arm for silence and spoke again, his voice taking on a deep, formal tone as the group made its way to the center of the assembled crowd.

"**Brothers and sisters, we are all outcasts here!**" Murmur of agreement from the Exiles. Jake'shi continued.

"**The reviled, the hated, the lost in hope and separate by nature…but only through the foul judgment of the ignorant!**" There was a deeper growl of approval at this.

Jake'shi raised his fist in a defiant gesture, his loud voice carrying his word echoing over the mountain tops. "**BUT THEY ARE NOT THE FUTURE, WE ARE! AND WE WILL LIVE FOR THAT TOMORROW!**" Huge roar of agreement.

"**And now, my brothers and sisters, with the Phoenix watching over us, we come together this night at our home, Hoshimoto, the haven of all the Jedaiahim, to awaken a new lost soul into the Exiles…**"

At that, the murmuring stopped almost completely, and all eyes shifted from Jake'shi to the nervous young man standing behind him and the Exile standing beside the newcomer.

"**And let the cycle begin anew this night for him…**" Jake'shi finished his formal speech and stood aside, allowing everyone to see them clearly.

The figure beside the newcomer lifted his torch, and the face of Kurt'kai was revealed in the light. And the newcomer beside him, a pale young Japanese man wearing thick glasses, was also revealed.

Kurt'kai cleared his throat slowly. _Here goes…_

"**Brothers and Sisters…**" Kurt'kai boomed, hoping his voice would carry far enough to reach all of his brethren. "**I give you Urashima Keitaro! A Caller! A lost soul! The whipped cur hounded and punished for things beyond his control and not of his doing! Are his people right to treat him this way!**"

The answering roar was tumultuous and angry this time. Kurt'kai saw Keitaro swallow hard.

"**And my brethren, he is willing! He is willing to embrace the Phoenix and join us as a brother Jedaiahim, and never again to rejoin Japan!**" Loud cheer and a thousand fists in the air.

Kurt'kai grinned quickly at how well this was going and held up his arm for silence. "**But the question I put to you, my brothers and sisters…**" Instant silence. "**The question I put to you is…does he deserve this! Does he deserve to join us?**"

At that, on cue, Cass'ko stepped forward, wearing her formal robe and tiara. "**I vouch for him!**" she called loudly. "**As his nurse in his sleep, I heard his cries of pain and pleas for mercy! He deserves to be Jedaiahim!**" There was a pause as Cass'ko's claim for him was understood, and then a roar of approval.

Then Kel'ri, her jaw set, stepped forward and yelled. "**I vouch for him! I hold my place as his host in Hoshimoto, and never have I met such a kind and compassionate man before in Japan! He is worthy to be one of us!**" Louder shouts of agreement.

Then Kurt'kai himself raised his arm and clapped it on Kurt'kai's shoulder. _This'll put them on him for sure. They'll die for him after I tell them this._

"**I vouch for him! When I was in danger from a sword attack, Urashima Keitaro was willing to voluntarily throw himself into the line of fire and take the strike for me! Such a selfless act is worthy of the greatest Exiles on earth!**"

Even Cass'ko and Kel'ri looked shocked. This time, there was a ripple of stunned silence through the Exiles before the roar, louder than ever, came, Exiles punching the air and cheering for Keitaro, who was red in the face.

Kurt'kai smiled, and then his smile slipped from his face as he remembered what he was supposed to do now.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt'kai motioned for Kel'ri to come closer. Kel'ri was carrying a small white cold container in her hands. The two Exiles behind her were holding two larger boxes with biohazard warnings printed on them. Kurt'kai glanced at Keitaro and saw him swallow hard at the signs on the containers.

Kurt'kai stepped closer and hissed in his ear. "Don't worry, Keitaro! We wouldn't do this if it wasn't safe. Your mind must be clear! Calm down! Breathe, my friend, breathe."

Keitaro obliged and closed his eyes. Kurt'kai then signaled to the brothers carrying the cold containers. "**Bring on the foreign energy! My brothers and sisters! He was Japanese, a citizen of the host country, and so he will not drink the same energy we do. Instead, we bring together most of our precious concentration of energy from the West to feed him into his new life and turn his back on his country forever!**" An instant murmur arose from the crowd.

Kurt'kai glanced sideways at Keitaro again. Now he was going to see what they used the Hoshimoto hot springs for.

The two carriers, at their cue, dragged the cold boxes over to the nearest hot spring tub. They opened the seals on one crate together, and then, slowly, they eased the container over, a thick bluish wisp of cold vapor rising from the tub as they emptied the substance into it. The box hid the sight of it from the eyes of Keitaro and Kurt'kai. As they waited with baited breath, they slowly opened the second crate and did the same.

Kurt'kai then took the box from Kel'ri and opened it.

The conversation amongst the watching Exiles died down at once. All was quiet and still again.

Kurt'kai held the opened freezer box in his hands. He reached in slowly and took out a large syringe fitted with a thick needle. Floating in the syringe was a thin, transparent fluid that spelled the silence of all the watching Jedaiahim.

Kurt'kai held up the syringe point-first and gazed at it. _Once I put this catalyst into him, his whole life will never be the same…and if he fails, he might hate me for it...and once this is over, he can never go back. I should give him his last chance now._

"Keitaro…" he whispered in Japanese to the strange man who looked like he was in a nervous trance. "…Once I give you this…there's no going back. You will be this way for life! Are you still sure you want it?"

Flickers of different emotions passed over his face as his quivering mind slowly processed what Kurt'kai had just told him. Nervousness, indecision, hopelessness, sadness…

…and then determination.

Keitaro, before the eyes of the watching Exiles, rolled up his right sleeve and held out his bare arm and shoulder to Kurt'kai. He was visibly shaking and starting to sweat, but his determination would see him through.

Kurt'kai hesitated for just a moment before sinking the needle into his arm. Keitaro flinched, but stopped and gritted his teeth. Kurt'kai slowly pushed his thumb onto the handle, injecting the catalyst through the needle and into his system. _Who would guess that such a powerful substance and the key to the fate or salvation of so many could squeeze through such a small needle?_

_Now. Here comes the hard part._

Quick as lightning, Kurt'kai withdrew the needle, tossed the syringe away, and grabbed Keitaro's exposed wrists roughly to an encouraging roar from the crowd. He could see Keitaro's gaze numb with shock as Kurt'kai leered at him.

"This, my friend," Kurt'kai said. "Is why you had to enter this ceremony in ignorance!"

Kurt'kai felt his veins slowly come on fire, and his vision cloud over with a rich blue as he began to drain Keitaro of his _ki_, Savaging Keitaro in the action's only secret, permissible use.

Keitaro could not believe his eyes. Kurt'kai's face had suddenly come alight. Kurt'kai's eyes were glowing their brightest shade of blue yet, and the blood vessels in his arms and face were turning blue and glowing beneath his skin. Then Keitaro felt terrible weakness, and then his vision became blurry.

_No. No! He's killing me! Why did I trust him? Why!_

Keitaro tried to struggle, pushing backwards with his feet and trying to shake his wrists loose, but Kurt'kai's arms were made of iron. Keitaro threw his head back violently in his attempt to pull himself free, and his glasses slipped off his face and shattered on the rocky ground.

Then Keitaro was aware of another figure throwing itself and him and planting its hands on his exposed neck and upper arm. He looked at the face, but his vision was too blurry, and it was only when he smelled her fragrance that he recognized Kel'ri.

His weakness then doubled, and he crashed to his knees as Kel'ri's blood vessels began to glow a golden yellow. She was draining him too.

_No!_

Why had he ever trusted them? Now they had betrayed him too! They had only gained his trust to allow them to feed off him…

To Savage him…

And now he must die.

Well, he would not miss this world much.

Then he was aware of another kneeling before him and looking him in the face. Kurt'kai was still standing over Keitaro, holding his arms up, and Kel'ri was to his side gripping his neck and arm. So who was this?

Keitaro's vision came into focus momentarily as the face moved closer to his, and he saw the glow of gentle blue eyes and a gleaming tiara. Keitaro's eyes widened.

"C-…Cass'…ko…" He managed to croak. Here, at this distance, he could see she looked a lot like Naru.

She slowly reached up and cupped his cheeks in her hands. Her eyes started to glow more fiercely.

Then a wave of nausea and unbearable weakness fell over Keitaro and he did not feel himself slump to the ground.

"Sempai!" Shinobu, losing control at what she was seeing, tried to push her way through the rest of the column to reach him as he fell to the ground, but they held her back.

"You can't go over there!" One of them hissed at her in Japanese. She turned her teary gaze up to the black-haired Exile holding her back.

"No…they're hurting him!" Shinobu cried, and, summoning all her courage, she lifted her leg and kicked the man in the shin, making him loosen his grip. She then twisted away from him, ignoring his fingers clawing at the back of her sweater and rushing over to where Keitaro had fallen before Kurt'kai, Cass'ko and Kel'ri.

She elbowed through them and knelt next to her sempai. His breathing was shallow and labored, and she felt her eyes fill at what was happening.

Then she was suddenly aware of a hand on her shoulder, holding her firmly.

"It's alright, Shinobu-chan." She heard Kurt'kai say. "We needed to drain him…so the catalyst can take over…and to rid him of his Japanese energy…"

He straightened and squared his shoulders as Shinobu turned to looked at him. His blood vessels were darkening and slowly burning out like a lamp. She saw him lift up his forearms to his face and then slowly shake his head and snarl slightly as though he was disgusted with the sight.

"I'll wake him up." Kurt'kai said gravely. He then knelt next to Shinobu and sprinkled a pinch of white powder onto his index finger. He then held the finger under Keitaro's nose.

Shinobu's mind soared with new hope as she saw her sempai stiffen and his eyes slowly open. He was still alive!

Keitaro slowly began to move and tried to prop himself up on one elbow…but he failed and fell weakly back onto his face. Shinobu cried out and reached for him, but Kurt'kai held her back.

"No, Shinobu-chan." He said matter-of-factly. "He has to do this himself."

Keitaro's mind spun and his vision refused to focus. He felt terribly weak, like he could barely breathe.

He slowly rolled over onto his back and gazed up at the stars overhead.

He felt…different somehow.

He knew hunger before, but it was now like every single cell in his body was now crying out with hunger and thirst. He had been drained. And he was sure he was slowly dying.

What could he do?

Then, a pull. An urging greater than any he had ever felt called to him.

_The hot spring._

_Get into the hot spring._

With an enormous effort like he was sliding through a wall of thick, black tar, Keitaro slowly levered himself up and over onto all fours.

He then began to crawl, little by little, over to the gray and blue fuzziness he hoped was the hot spring.

_Make it. I must make it._

Then, darkness descended again and he fell.

Kurt'kai nodded at last. "**We can help him now. He knew where to go.**"

The four of them then rushed over to where Keitaro had collapsed again.

"**One, two, three…heave!**" And they all lifted him to his knees. Kurt'kai and Kel'ri then flung his arms over their shoulders and lifted him to his feet, carrying him to the glowing blue hot spring. Kurt'kai could feel the eyes of all the crowd on them. They were now all silent as if struck dumb.

The hot spring was glowing with the liquid-gaseous blue substance that made Kurt'kai shudder with rememberance of what he had purged from himself so long ago. And what Keitaro was now to accept to save his life.

This deep pool of energy would complete the transformation…if Keitaro was strong enough.

He looked at Kel'ri, who nodded, and they started to ease him down…

"**Wait!**" Cass'ko rushed over to them.

Kurt'kai stared, and Cass'ko merely looked back at him for a moment before leaning over Keitaro's shoulder to his ear.

"Remember what I told you…" she whispered, just loud enough for Kurt'kai to hear. "You must remember who you want to be…"

With that, she stepped back and nodded at them.

They then eased him slowly, feet first, into the hot spring. Green spirit flames erupted from Keitaro's body as the last of his residual Japanese spirit burned out with his immersion in foreign spirit energy.

He sank slowly, the top of his head vanishing, painfully slow, below the thick, smoky essence.

Kurt'kai then felt Shinobu standing beside him, staring up at him imploringly. Her eyes begged him to tell her that Keitaro was going to be alright.

He put his arm around her. "He's on his own now, Shinobu-chan." He whispered. "All we can do now…is wait…"

Keitaro felt nothing now.

It was black all around him. His sight was gone and he could not move.

Where was he? Was he finished? Had he died?

_Where am I? Is this death?_

Then he saw it again. The golden pinprick that grew and grew. But it was the only thing he saw.

The bird stood before him again.

"_I am the Phoenix. You will not see me again. And you will not remember me. What do you wish now?"_

_I want to know who I am._

"_You know who you are. The only thing now is if it is what you want to be. You may change…or you may return unchanged. What do you wish? Who will you be now? Choose wisely…as your fate will balance on this choice…and the stone will fall on either side, but it will never stop falling…"_

…

"_Come to me…"_

Keitaro was not sure how, but somehow, what was left of him was drawn to the fiery golden bird. The Phoenix wrapped its wings around him lovingly and laid its beautiful head on his.

"_Who are you now?"_

Suddenly, with surprising clarity, Cass'ko's smiling face flashed across Keitaro's vision.

And he answered the Phoenix…

The Phoenix then suddenly flung its wings wide and released him, sending him tumbling back into his body. Then it vanished.

The last, fading words he heard both broke his heart and strengthened it.

"_Then awaken…and feed…"_

The stone had fallen.

Keitaro's eyes snapped open and he jerked violently. He was too weak to stand, but he could move his arms at least.

Without thinking, acting on new instincts alone, Keitaro grabbed violently at the bluish liquid-gaseous essence around him and shoved it violently into his mouth. He sucked and swallowed and grabbed more violently as his strength began to return.

There was no need to think. There was no need to pause.

And soon, there was no need to feed with his mouth.

He stood up violently in the pond of energy, drawing more and more of the essence inside himself, gorging himself endlessly on the sweet wine all around him. He violently ripped off the dirt-caked shirt he was wearing to allow more of him to bathe in the sweet spirit.

He was barely aware of the golden light starting to erupt from his veins, and he was barely aware of rising, slowly, towards the white moonlight overhead.

"**Look!**" Kel'ri's words snapped Kurt'kai out of his watching Cass'ko cradle Shinobu in her arms and whisper softly to her.

Kurt'kai followed her pointing finger, and he stood up quickly, vaguely aware of everyone else in attendance following suit.

The hot spring was starting to boil. Great, flaring bursts of energy were rising from the semi-liquid surface.

Kurt'kai knew immediately what was coming. "**Get ready!**" he shouted. "**He's rising!**"

And before all of their eyes, a pale arm burst from the end of the hot spring. Brilliant streaks of golden yellow erupted along the arm, and slowly, a head and naked chest followed, blazing with a pulsing golden light.

The figure rose slowly from the hot spring and stood, head down, over the boiling energy.

Then it slowly raised its head.

The face pulsed with golden light as the veins burned with energy.

Then before them all, the deep brown eyes began to lighten, and then darken again, and then lighten again.

They were glowing.

The figure slowly opened its mouth and spoke. The voice was filled with childish joy.

"More! More! It feels…so…GOOD!"

And the figure ran at full pelt towards Kurt'kai.

_He's high on it. Got to wait until he calms down._

Kurt'kai braced himself, and, ignoring Shinobu's scream, took his impact full in the chest, feeling himself being pushed to the ground under the new one's momentum.

Stars erupted into Kurt'kai's vision as his head struck the turf, but he tried to get control and twist his assailant over, pinning him to the ground. He thought of the sleep powder, but quickly chased that idea away.

_I can't put him out with the powder. He must remain conscious and get full control of himself. I can't do this for him._

So he had to restrain him.

He struggled under Kurt'kai to get away. He twisted and flung one elbow loose, slamming it against Kurt'kai's temple. He cried out in pain and let go, and the new one bowled him over and started to run.

Kurt'kai rose onto his knees, pounding his head with his palm to clear out the dizziness. Two of the Fables, Ky'nae and Sung'ryan, threw themselves on the new one and tackled him to the ground. They held him down, struggling violently and giggling maniacally.

"**Hold him!**" Kurt'kai shouted. He stood up and began to walk over to them.

Cass'ko reached out and grabbed his arm. He looked sideways at the Exiled Princess.

"**Let me do it…**" she said confidently.

_What?_

"**Er…alright, Cass'ko. But be careful!**"

Kurt'kai shook his head as she walked over to the struggling figure. _What's she thinking? He needs to assert his new identity quickly…_

There was no telling how long it would take to bring him to his senses, and if he felt the wrong identity first, the whole process would have been wasted. He could only hope Cass'ko knew what she was doing…

He then felt Kel'ri's hand on his shoulder and looked up to see her face. "**Don't worry, Kurt'kai. She knows what she's doing alright…**" She had read his mind again! And she was smiling that knowing smile that always made Kurt'kai want to strangle her.

The man on the grass was still struggling, veins afire and eyes glowing violently as Cass'ko approached him and knelt on his chest gracefully, holding him down. She motioned for Ky'nae and Sung'ryan to move out of his line of sight, and they did so, though still being careful to restrain his flailing arms.

She looked down at his thrashing, confused-looking face and said in English, "**Look at me.**"

The man continued thrashing and did not appear to hear her.

Cass'ko then did something that utterly surprised everyone in attendance. She did something no-one had ever seen her do.

She slapped him sharply across the cheek. "**Look at me!**"

At that, the man's head stopped thrashing and lay still, but his eyes were still unfocused. Cass'ko slowly reached out and stretched out his eye sockets, staring deep into his unseeing eyes.

"**Who are you?**" she whispered.

No answer.

"**Who are you?**" she asked again, more insistently.

The man's mouth slowly opened, the glow in his eyes seeming to fade slightly.

"……**Joshua…**"

The name he had chosen to call himself was not his born name.

The man he had chosen to be over his last self was at last revealed to them all.

Cass'ko smiled, her eyes gleaming with tears that lay just below her eyes. Then she slowly stepped off him and extended a hand.

The new one gazed curiously at her hand before slowly, shakingly, taking it and allowing himself to be helped to his feet.

_She did it! She actually did it!_ Kurt'kai could not believe his eyes.

The then felt a stab of pain as Kel'ri punched him on the shoulder. "**I told you so…**" she whispered to him smugly.

Kurt'kai then saw Shinobu on Kel'ri's other side. She was staring with wide, wondering eyes at the new man beside Cass'ko. The crowd, in their white Jedaiahim robes, were all staring silently. Hundreds of expectant faces.

_It's time._ Kurt'kai walked over to him and smiled into his glowing, golden brown eyes.

"**Are you ready, my friend?**" he asked in English, pulling a wad of cloth from his pocket.

The man's eyes focused on him, and then the last vestiges of confusion left his face.

He nodded, a wide smile of joy finally coming to his face.

Kurt'kai smiled back. He unfolded the cloth into a full Jedaiahim robe and helped the new one put it on.

Then, slowly, he stood beside him and took his wrist.

"**Brother and Sister Exiles, I give you our new Brother…**"

He raised the new one's wrist and shouted with all his might.

"**URASHIMA KEI'JOSHUA!**"

The roar started immediately! Exiles ran towards them and lifted the newly-reborn Kei'joshua off his feet, carrying over their heads, then lowering him, embracing him and then each other.

Then the fuses were lit and the colors exploded in the air as the fireworks started. Laughter rang from all corners as bottles of wine and glasses were broken out, much to the pouting of the younger Exiles. And music exploded as Exiled musicians set up their equipment and began playing heavy tunes laden with joy. Couples kissed and friends danced and the party was in full swing!

Kei'joshua was the hero of the hour, began embraced, red-faced, by his new Sisters and roughly lifted off the ground and carried by his Brothers. But he laughed too.

He laughed. At long last…his nightmare was over, and he was where he belonged.

But only one face was unhappy.

"C-congratulations…sempai…" Shinobu whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks as she witnessed him laughing with joy over the heads of his new family.

She turned and began to walk away towards the buildings.

He was lost to her now. Her sempai was lost to all of Japan.

He had been right. She should leave.

She suddenly bumped into someone as she stared at the ground.

"Where do you think you're going, Shinobu-chan?" She looked up to see Kurt'kai's smiling face and glowing blue gaze.

"I-I'm leaving, Kurt'kai-san…" she said in a voice thick with grief.

"No…" Kurt'kai said softly. "You're not."

He knelt and hugged her around the midsection, making her go brilliantly red. "I owe you a lot, Shinobu-chan…"

"K-kurt'kai-san!"

"It's just Kurt'kai. Do you realize how much I owe you? If I hadn't brought you back here, I doubt Kei'joshua would have passed his initiation. I was scared…really scared, for him, but you eased my fear and his. I want to repay you for that…"

He then stood. He gazed into Shinobu's eyes. "Shinobu-chan…" His own face went slightly red.

"I-…I want you to stay…"

Shinobu's eyes went wide and her face went an even deeper shade of scarlet before she quickly ran past him and towards the guest wing.

Kurt'kai sighed as he watched her leave.

He wanted to follow her and comfort her…but he couldn't leave the newly reborn Kei'joshua and this party.

He witnessed Kei'joshua in the middle of a circle of dancing Exiles who raised their voices and began singing the traditional Exile Song of Rebirth. Most of the noise died down and others began to sing the slow tune with them.

_Stripped of my soul pride, I fell – all me drawn…_

_To feed the great evil that is judgment torn…_

_Crushed and immobile, for those demons' mirth…_

_I rise 'gain, made perfect by Phoenix rebirth…_

_Covered in blood omens, I leaped in great faith…_

_To heart of the one who could make the one true race…_

_Feel the burning, settles the score…_

_I feel it infuse me, human no more…_

_All that was broken is reforged anew…_

_Made strong and ascending, blood of the Exiled few…_

_Living in new light, and fearing no fool…_

_I live for tomorrow, embraced the real truth…_

_Judgment and malice no longer hurt me…_

_I am a-an Exile!_

_To man I bend no knee!_

And then there was a roar as the song ended and all the hot springs were rapidly filled with _ki_ essence, both Asian for them and Western for Kei'joshua and the other Japanese-born Jedaiahim. The Exiles ran, pulling off their robes and jumping in to feed, laughing as they bathed in their passion and growing strong.

The night wore on with the light of the full moon shining down on the _ki_-bearinghot springs of Hoshimoto, a sea of luminescent veins and glowing eyes.

**Author:** Ha ha! Can I write a fic or what! Nah, I'm not getting big-headed. I'm just happy that I finally managed to finish this chapter for you. And yes, I'm aware that this story may be wandering off of Love Hina for the moment, but that will be fixed in later chapters. The next chapter will feature more Hinatasou action than this one. This was the chapter primarily concerned with Keitaro's rebirth as Kei'joshua.

**Chinh: **Geeky name, you say? Check your Bible for reference!

**Author:** Well spoken. Oh, by the way, you've just got to hear- er, read this. I was reading the Vietnam News the other day (yes, they do have an English language paper) and I saw something that I just had to laugh at. 'A known criminal in Malaysia was recently acquitted on trial for murder and theft. Had he not been acquitted, he would have been sentenced to death by hanging for murder and whipping and two years' imprisonment for theft. These two punishments would occur simultaneously with priority given to the death sentence.' Talk about flogging a dead horse! What's next on the menu, Ms. Chinh?

**Chinh:** Er-hem! Next, Kei'joshua and Kurt'kai must confront Sim, and Kel'ri and Shinobu get closer. Back in the good old Hinatasou, Motoko is getting up to no good, and - oh no! - the law is on her side now!

**Author: **Er…that's a bit much, let it go at that! Anyway, please read and review, dear readers, and if you want to ask a question or something, leave it for me on my forum and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. And thanks for the fanart, readers! All fanart readers can make is appreciated, and I'll post it somewhere soon!

**Chinh:** Love you all, readers!

HOSHIMOTO – HOME OF THE JEDAIAHIM, THE EXILES OF JAPAN

EXILE FILE: 0539

EXILE NAME: KEL'RI

AGE: 15

ORIGIN: Kelly Simmons was never your ordinary teenage girl. Since her childhood in Melbourne, Australia, excitement has been what she craved. Kelly was a 'green' child, never playing soccer on street corners with the neighborhood kids or dancing ballet in a ballroom, but instead climbing in her pride and joy, the forest behind her home. But the green atmosphere of her Melbourne district was destroyed. Unlike most Exiles, her torment was not from her people, but her environment. Her world was turning sour as the forests she loved around her home were torn down and her neighborhood transformed from an evergreen haven into a heavy industrial district. It broke her heart to see her beloved trees being cut down. As she grew older, she decided not to stand for it any longer and vandalized the construction sites and began planting bugs in the machines. She even climbed trees and stayed put so they would not be cut down. When the authorities got wind of her antics, she would have been arrested if it was not for her father's desperate decision to send her away. Kelly was pulled, kicking and screaming, into a car and away from the trees she loved. By her arrival in Sydney, she was silent and tamed, and without saying a word to anyone, she emptied the bank account her father had given her and bought herself an air ticket for the next flight out. She was by then a true Caller as she said that people who destroyed such beauty were not worth living among. She was found in her wanderings in Indonesia by Kurt'kai, who brought her to Japan and Hoshimoto in the green mountains. Kelly had never seen such beautiful pinewoods and instantly fell in love with the place. She cleaned up her act, got a permanent residency, enrolled in international school and she was initiated shortly afterwards. She joined the Exiled Fables, vowing that she would fight to protect nature if necessary. Though Sim and Kurt'kai have tried to persuade Kel'ri several times to let go of her anger, she still seems to nurse some bitterness at her powerlessness in a corner of her heart. She now works tirelessly and passionately for a better tomorrow for the Exiles and indeed all of humanity and nature, setting an example for us all.


	10. The Calm Before The Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina, or any of its characters. They are the legal property of Ken Akamatsu and co. I do however own any other characters in this fic unless stated otherwise. I'm tired of these disclaimers, sleepy, and weak and i'M SuRE mY WriTinG's g0nE funNy.

**Author: **Ding dong, this fic's not dead! Author's been on the working edge. Hi there world of ficcies and trekkies! Sheesh, I've only just noticed! This fic's been around for years! And it's still nowhere near finished. Go ahead and flame away for my absence if you like. I daresay I deserve it. Been slumped in depression for my lost Vietnamese fiancée for a year or so (she left me, a young, reasonably handsome, hard-working guy for an old, fat, ugly weasel-faced man with a heavy bank account!)

**Chinh**: You brought that down on yourself boss! I told you not to trust a silicone-powered gold-digger like her! Stop whining and get to the fic already!

**Author**: Is that jealousy I hear? **/Wham!/ **Owww! Well, since you asked so politely…

* * *

Love Hina: The Exiles

_- The Exiles are generally unpopular amongst the expatriate communities in their host nations because of their antipatriotism, and even more so with the United Nations because the creation of the society was the unprecedented result of their global Free Youth campaign. Nevertheless, the Exiles are grudgingly awarded some status by their expatriate cousins, as their youth and ambition make them burn with more passion than most expatriates, mired as they are in age and dissatisfaction (and alcohol), could ever hope to muster._

_-The order of the Fables was originally a mere reference to the (surprisingly high) number of martial artists amongst the Exiles. When the Kuroi-yuhii first tried to dislodge the Exiled Society, the Fables failed miserably to stop them, though the Kuroi-yuhii were still ultimately unsuccessful. Since that time, all four tribes of Exiles have worked to establish a solid defensive organization. Yet the current Fables are only fighters, not soldiers, as Exiles are forbidden to bear arms, and the society is still defenseless against military power._

* * *

Chapter 10: The Calm Before The Storm

The Exile, Ky'nae, sat alone at his table, nursing the beer mug in front of him. He wasn't old enough to drink, but that was no serious inconvenience. He was a foreigner, as was obvious from his pale blond hair and green eyes. No bartender in Japan was going to card him. It was an unwritten law that foreigners were exempted in this country.

He glanced above him at the clock, one of many cheap ornamental clocks lining this wall of the pub. Hanging next to the was an oil painting of a red-coated jockey on horseback, and on the other side a large poster of a rugby player tackling one of the opposing team.

_11:30_, he read. _The night's only just beginning._

He glanced back down over the wooden porch to his right to the floor below. Just beyond the wooden double doors, he saw many other foreigners sitting, large backpacks sat on the stools next to them, enjoying another evening of their vacation here in this cheap, quaint little wooden pub in the middle of Roppongi, Tokyo. He could see many expatriates mingled among them too. One or two with local girlfriends and colleagues sitting beside them as they enjoyed their evening after work.

_I am in the heart of the heart,_ Ky'nae thought.

As an Exile, he did not highly enjoy mingling with other foreigners. He had chosen to sit alone on the next floor, overlooking the first, to enjoy his drink without the heavy burden of the other foreigners around on his shoulders. He would have preferred if one or two of his Japanese friends or some of his Exile kin had joined him, but apparently, in this secret haven for the Exiles living in Tokyo, he was the only one present in the pub this evening.

The Guitar Pub was run by Roy Johnson, a former soldier, Vietnam veteran, and Exile sympathizer who opened up his pub to the society for meetings, temporary lodgings, and evenings out, as well as being happy to provide them with stress-buster frosted mugs for less than a dollar each…so long as they had a mug almost constantly in their fists and no grog breaks. But that was never a problem though so far as Ky'nae could see (which was, admittedly, not far past the end of his nose by this time most nights).

Shaking his head, Ky'nae called down to the next floor for his bill, and Reiko, one of Roy's waitresses, looked up and smiled at him. Ky'nae felt his face redden slightly at the girl's friendliness and then turned back to the table. Reiko was a sweet girl and a good friend, but most unfortunately, he felt, there was no room in his life for a deeper relationship at the moment. It was an expatriate, and indeed at oftentimes, an Exile tradition to get together with a local girlfriend. They were sometimes referred to as Brides by the older generation of expatriates because of the way they could guarantee political support when acquiring new visas or citizenship in Asia. Ky'nae however, being an Exile, needed nothing of the sort, and he did not consider himself in love with any girl, Japanese or otherwise.

Reiko brought up the bill a moment later, smiling sweetly at him. Ky'nae felt, for a moment, a stab of pity for her. As well as not being able to return her affection, he knew she had a difficult life. Her high-society family had disowned her before she finished university because she made a bad mistake in judgment and sold one of their most valuable pieces of property. Of course, she had managed to get a job as a receptionist at a small cosmetics company and do well off it living in a weekly center, but she unfortunately lost her job due to budget cuts. Worse yet, because of the damnable Japanese employment system, she had been unable to get a full-time job afterwards. Once you're in, fresh out of school, you're in for life. No changing companies. That was their unwritten law, and Reiko had to suffer for it. She had to work several part-time jobs and make only enough to sleep and eat.

If Ky'nae could somehow help her…but he knew the path of the Exile was not open to her. She was a fierce patriot and would never accept the Exiled way of life, even if her workplace was one of their havens.

"_Domo_, Rei-chan," he said, standing up and paying for his drinks (in cash of course, so he could leave a generous tip). "Er, you wouldn't have a little free time tomorrow to see a movie, would you?" Ky'nae knew what her answer would be, but he felt he should at least let Reiko know that he appreciated her romantic interest in some small way.

She sighed slightly and her shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry, Ky'nae-kun, but I'm really very busy. Another time perhaps." She sounded genuinely disappointed, her slanted cat's eyes looking down and several bangs of dyed reddish-blonde hair slipping over her forehead.

The Exile nodded and shouldered his bag. "I'll see you soon then. Take care."

Ky'nae walked downstairs, waved a farewell to Roy behind the bar, and stepped out through the wooden French doors at the entrance.

Roppongi was loud and crowded at this time: all the bar patrons and tourists were still out on the street and there was loud shouting, laughing, and music all around. Ky'nae smiled slightly. He enjoyed watching people play, though not joining in. It was a shame he couldn't stick around longer. He had to admit: there was no funnier place to be than Roppongi at 4am after an early night. You'd never see so many businessmen so completely finished in your life, staggering home with shoes on the wrong feet, beer stains down their shirt fronts, lipstick still on the collar, and their pants on backwards.

He weaved through the large crowd. The Tokyo streets were notorious for being packed so full of people that often "perpendicular pedestrianism" (walking lengthways along a traffic-jammed road) was the only way to get anywhere quick, even at this time of night.

He groaned at the thought of the train at this hour (rather than blissfully snoring the night away in one of the lofts above the Guitar Pub with two or three other Exiles), but he needed to get back to Hoshimoto before morning. He wanted to go back to Fable training. He had returned to Tokyo only for a couple of days and already he wanted to go back.

Before he had been summoned for the initiation of the newest Jediahim, Kei'joshua, he had not lived in Hoshimoto for a long time and had begun to forget how good life was there. But at the party, Ky'nae's good friend Sung'ryan had taken him to one side and told him he was still needed, and it would be good to see him in Fable training again. Ky'nae had to agree, the Exiles were like a family, but the Fables were even more so. The Exiled combatant bodyguards traded secrets, exhaustion, tears, and blows in training, going through Sim's harsh trials together, and this in turn had pulled them closer to each other than any family. He missed them.

Ky'nae was perhaps the only real marksman in the Exiled Fables. The small of his back still ached in cold weather from the stab wound he had taken as a boy, and Ky'nae could barely look at a knife anymore without the sensation of feeling like the wound had opened again. Thus, Ky'nae was the only exclusive gunslinger in the Fables and did not use blades as most of his brethren did. While they moved in the exotic dance of kendo doing a butcher's job on the targets, he would fill the pads with hot rubber bean bags…

There was only one route on the old Shinkansen transport that would get him to the transports to Hoshimoto, and it was over two hours long. Ky'nae stifled a yawn as he quickened his pace. It had been a long night and it was bound to get longer still. He might even be sleepless.

It was only a block away to the tunnel entrance, and then he would get on and…

Ky'nae stopped, cursing.

He'd completely forgotten that the line was down. The ministry had closed the line down for safety reasons, and Exiles had to use alternate routes out of the city.

Ky'nae sighed. It looked like it would have to be another time after all. He had no clue where else to go. He'd have to wait for the next courier out of Hoshimoto. So, it looked like he was to go back to the Guitar Pub and ask Roy if he could sleep in the loft…

He was stopped by a gentle tap on his shoulder. Ky'nae immediately went stiff. Someone was bothering him here and now? Probably one of the 'usher girls' from one of the many-lit establishments down the alleys…

He turned, slowly, his eyes half-slitted and already shaking his head. He opened his mouth and began to say "I'm not inter-…"

Then he stopped. The person before him was a woman alright, but clearly not one of the usher girls from one of the local brothels.

* * *

"What do you want to know?"

The dark-haired woman was staring at him over the tabletop, looking most put out with the prospect of sitting in a place like the Guitar Pub. Ky'nae could hardly blame her. The woman did indeed look very out of place in this pub. She was wearing a gi and hakama and carried a long sword slung over her back, hidden safely in a wooden case to look like a simple pole, but that did not fool Ky'nae, who had seen many of his Fable brethren using the same kind of weapon. A couple of backpackers had mistaken her for a funky tour guide and had asked for a photograph with her in English a few moments ago, but her stony glare was answer enough.

She looked at him gravely over the cup of green tea. "I know what you are, and I know where you're from. I want to find somebody and I think you can lead me to him."

Ky'nae narrowed his glowing green eyes. "I'm a mere _gaijin_. Who could I know that you would want to see?"

The dark-haired woman's tone was polite, but he could tell from the barely-visible steel grey of her eyes that she was by no means friendly. "That's my business. May I remind you that you and your kind are only staying here in our country for as long as we allow you to? It would only take some words from me…now would you please tell me what you know about…?"

She stopped. Ky'nae had stood up and had begun to walk away. She moved to follow him. "I did not give you leave to go." She said coldly. Ky'nae looked back at her.

"Don't threaten me. If you claim to know my kind, then you should know that's something we hate more than anything else…"

With what looked like an effort, the woman relaxed the frown on her face and the faint lines around her eyes receded back into the pale white skin. She sat back down and Ky'nae copied her. He was angry, though he did not show it. He may have to be a tolerant Exile by their rules, but that didn't mean he had to put up with the superior attitude of this woman, whoever she was.

She leaned closer. She was very pretty, he noticed, as he had been trying to ignore Reiko's burning glare from the bar for the last five minutes. He groaned inwardly. She spoke to him quietly for a minute. Ky'nae started and gazed at her for a moment before answering.

"I'm afraid that even if I did happen to know this man, I couldn't tell you where to find him."

She glared at him, and muttered venomously "But perhaps you have a _friend_, or friend of a friend, who could…"

He leaned back and looked at her. "Even if I am what you think I am, ma'am, why would I tell you anything? If I am what you think I am, don't you think I would have to keep quiet about it? Especially where he might be?"

The woman's eyes narrowed even further. "It would perhaps be in your best interests in case I ever decide it might be in _my_ best interests to go looking for this place…"

Without another word, Ky'nae rose and walked over to Roy to discuss board for the night in the loft. Leaving his guest to glare at his retreating back. The Exile had to admit, she did frighten him a little. She looked like a woman who would walk to the ends of the earth for what she wanted.

* * *

Haruka paced up and down before the entrance to the Hinatasou, waiting. She knew it would take her new detective a while to ascend to Hinatasou considering his condition, but he still shouldn't be this late. The detective, when she had first heard of him, seemed hardly the type of person she thought suitable, but her teahouse patron had insisted he was the best, and Haruka eventually agreed to speak to him.

Besides, this detective was cheap. She probably couldn't afford anyone else.

Finally, with the distant rumble of a car engine, Haruka stopped pacing and lit up a cigarette.

_Any minute now._ _I hope it's not too steep._

And finally, Nakajima Masayuki whirred out of his van and up the makeshift ramp Haruka had set for his wheelchair. The apple-red Storm Arrow wheelchair seemed to hum with unexpected ease up the slope, smoothly and quickly.

Nakajima reached the top of the steps and whirred to a stop before Haruka, dropping the controller straw from his lips. His arms, wrists, chest, and legs were all strapped into the right place on his chair. He was a small, balding man with spectacles and the stubble of a beard. He was wearing a long brown trenchcoat and trousers, along with an impassive expression. He tilted his head slightly in the closest action to a bow he could perform.

Haruka bowed in return, as she glimpsed a young, olive-skinned man with curly hair following Nakajima up the steps.

Nakajima followed her glance, flicking his eyes back over his shoulder, and said irritably "Armando, I keep telling you that you don't need to follow me around all the time."

The man called Armando shook his head. "I don't swallow it, boss. This change in altitude can't be good for your blood pressure." His Japanese had a lilting accent.

Nakajima glared at him, and then snapped his gaze back to Haruka. "Well then, Urashima Haruka-san. Nakajima Masayuki. Nice to meet you."

Haruka caught herself just as she was about to extend her hand. "Nice to meet you, detective."

Nakajima Masayuki. Possibly the only quadriplegic detective in Japan and yet for certain one of the best. Haruka remembered faintly having read his story in the paper several years ago. Shot in the back of the neck. In rehab for two years and then returning to crime scene investigation and a medal from the Tokyo police commission.

"Well then, Urashima-san…"

She looked at him. He seemed to be disgruntled still about his Filipino aide's presence.

"I take it you have taken the appropriate means to safeguard the scene of this abduction you mentioned?"

Haruka shook her head slowly. Nakajima looked irritated. "You mean it has been disturbed?"

Haruka sighed and said "I'm afraid it's more than three weeks old, detective."

Without another word, Nakajima quickly snapped his lips around the controller straw and sipped twice, swinging his wheelchair around. He exhaled and the chair moved forward back towards the ramp.

"Boss!" Armando said loudly.

Nakajima inhaled slowly, stopping his chair, and craned his neck back. "Come on, Armando. There's nothing we can do now. The scene is too old, and any trace or evidence is sure to have run dry…"

"I understand that, detective…" Haruka said. "I understand this is a bad situation, but…it's my nephew…"

Nakajima looked at her irritably. "You must realize, Urashima-san, that it's almost impossible for a forensic analyst to retrieve any trace from that situation, and any witness accounts are certain to be garbled and unreliable. If there's no substantial evidence left, as I'm sure there isn't after three weeks in an inhabited all-girls-and-male-_kanrinin_ dormitory, then there's nothing I can do. Urashima-san, why on earth didn't you call the police when the scene was fresh?!"

Haruka drew a drag on her cigarette to calm her flaring anger before replying levelly. "I did. They wouldn't help. At first, they said a dispatch and a team was on the way, but then they suddenly called me back and said they couldn't procure a warrant and hung up. I called them back but they cut me off and said they couldn't help…"

Nakajima swiveled his chair back around in two quick inhalations and looked at Haruka again. "You're sure, Haruka-san?"

Haruka nodded. "Yes, I'm sure, and even worse, most of the other police precincts and even the Kanto refused to help…"

Nakajima suddenly looked grim. "Sounds like a well-organized kidnap job to me…with others warned to look the other way…" Armando nodded in agreement with his boss.

The quadraplegic detective exhaled his chair forward. "Very well, I am intrigued. Please tell me everything, Urashima-san, and then we'll search the primary crime scene, the hall where you said this happened, speak to the residents, and then check the secondary crime scene…"

"Which is?"

"Urashima Keitaro's room."

* * *

_SLUUUURRRP!_

"Gosh man, don't take so much!"

"Sorry."

Kei'joshua pulled his head from the deposit, relishing the feelings crashing through him from his feeding. Kel'ri was watching him in amusement as he grinned and sat back, the faint golden glow in his veins slowly burning out as the _ki_ settled into his body.

"Okay, okay, Kei. Feeding. It's important for you to do this, alright? You should feed at least once a week, and do it somewhere where people can't see you. If you don't, well…nothing bad will happen to you, but it might be difficult for you to eat or sleep if you don't. And after a long while, you'll start to feel lethargic and fall over, and imagine what kind of disaster that would cause if you got rushed to hospital…"

"Uh, one thing?" Kei'joshua sat up, looking at his sister and brushing his bangs away. "How exactly do I know where I can feed?"

She smiled easily at him. "Can't you see it, Kei'joshua? It's all around you. Of course your _ki_ is not everywhere like mine is or Kurt'kai's…but you can see veins of yours if your look hard enough, can't you?"

Indeed he could. Kel'ri was right. Ever since his initiation, the world had changed in Kei'joshua's eyes. He could detect auras, and he could sense and see _ki_ everywhere. The ground, air, and objects around him were all groaning full of _ki_, but he, Kei'joshua, had now flushed that kind out of himself and he needed to search deeper for the new, foreign nourishment he needed. It was only a matter of getting close enough to it to draw it towards himself like a magnet.

And now, he no longer needed to wear glasses. His transformation seemed to have fixed his vision. He could also swear his clumsiness was fading. He hardly tripped at all anymore.

But it seemed the seemingly-invincible former _kanrinin_ was losing his indestructibility. His body hurt much more now when he fell, and it had definitely hurt when Kel'ri slugged him over the head. But, surprisingly, this didn't seem overly important to him. He had only been indestructible for so long as he needed to be anyway.

Kel'ri smiled at him as if she knew what he was thinking. "It'll take some getting used to, I know. But it'll be okay, Kei. I can honestly say that not one person has _ever_ regretted becoming an Exile."

At that point, the phone on Kei'joshua's new desk blipped. He almost knocked it over in his enthusiasm to answer. "Kei'joshua speaking."

A static chuckle came through from the other end. "Still high on it, brother?"

It was Kurt'kai. Kei'joshua felt a jolt. Kurt'kai had kept a low profile since the initiation, mostly leaving him in the care of Cass'ko and Kel'ri and hurrying off on errands he didn't bother to explain.

Kei'joshua grinned. "Of course. So what's the matter?"

The other Exile hesitated, and then answered. "You see, Kei…it's Shinobu-chan."

Kei'joshua froze. This was trouble all right. He knew that Shinobu had been avoiding all of them since the initiation, and spending all of her time in the room she had been given. He had tried to speak with her a couple of times, but she had run off, which troubled him. Shinobu had never run away before unless he did something 'perverted', which was a rare occurrence these days…

Kurt'kai's voice was sullen. "She's stonewalling completely. I'm getting the feeling that maybe she wants to leave after all. You know her better than I do…"

* * *

"He was in this room, you say?"

Kitsune nodded down at Nakajima, trying hard not to stare at his body and legs. "He was here, I'm sure of it."

Nakajima snapped his attention up to his aide. "Armando, please gather some trace from that futon there. Skin, hair, all of it. And while we're about it, Konno-san, I'd like some hair samples from all of the tenants living here, bulb and all."

Kitsune looked puzzled. "How will that help you fin' him, sir?"

"It won't, but at least it'll tell me what trace to distinguish from Urashima Keitaro and you and what to distinguish from someone else. Oh, and please wear gloves when you take them, Konno-san."

Kitsune nodded, understanding, and walked out of the room, shoulders squared and purposeful. Haruka watched, noting how much Kitsune had changed since Keitaro was kidnapped. She had taken over from Naru as the big sister of the household, consoling the other girls and watching everyone carefully, and no-one had seen her drinking a drop for a while. Just now she hadn't even complained about having to help Armando and Haruka push Nakajima's motorized chair up Haruka's makeshift ramps on the stairs…

Most people would call it an improvement, but Haruka merely felt sad. She could feel the old, cheerful spirit in this place slipping away. Kitsune tamed, Motoko cold and distant, Naru broken, Su depressed, and Shinobu…gone.

If only Keitaro, wherever he was, could see the change his disappearance had brought about…

Armando bent down, opening the large bag he had out on the floor to reveal a box of disposable latex gloves, tweezers, a digital camera, a small flashlight, micro-fil brush, and a dustbuster. Then he bent over the floor, wearing latex gloves, and used tweezers to collect pieces of hair from Keitaro's empty futon, dropping them into sealable bags. He opened a small steel briefcase next to the bag and put the hair samples in it, carefully.

Haruka raised her eyebrows. Obviously, this extremely mismatched pair knew what they were doing. Nakajima narrowed his eyes. "Take some skin as well, Armando. Use the dustbuster…good. Now check the floor around the futon. Turn off the lights in here, and use the flashlight…Ah, blood!"

Haruka shook her head. "That's Keitaro's blood."

Nakajima looked up in surprise, seeming to have forgotten in all his directions that she was there. "Hmm, his blood you say? How did…oh nevermind. All the same, take some samples, Armando. Cotton buds, thank you. And what's that?" He squinted at another glowing outline in the light of Armando's torch. Ah, bootprints."

Haruka looked at Nakajima. "How do you know they're bootprints?"

"Hmm, from the width of the toes and the distance between the posterior and anterior sole sections, Haruka-san. Tell me, did your nephew ever wear shoes or boots in the Hinatasou?"

Haruka shook her head. "Never. Only slippers or socks. All the tenants left their shoes out in the hall."

Nakajima smiled. "Ah, some solid evidence. Snap those prints please, Armando. It was lucky our boy happened to step in some of Urashima-san's blood…just why did you say he was bleeding, Haruka-san?"

Haruka shook her head. "The tenants didn't exactly keep their hands to themselves, Nakjima-san. Let's just leave it at that."

Nakajima spun his chair to look at her. "So all this blood here…wasn't the work of our kidnapper? This…Kurt'kai?"

Haruka shook her head. Nakajima gazed at her for another moment before sipping his controller straw and swinging around again. "Check the prints for trace in the soles, Armando. Hmm, we do seem to go through cotton buds quite quickly, _neh_?"

It was at that point that Kitsune returned, wearing Shinobu's yellow kitchen gloves and holding a small plastic bag. She caught herself just as she was about to offer it to Nakajima, and instead gave it to Armando, who put it in the briefcase without a word.

Kitsune turned to Haruka. "They didn' take it well. Naru's still upset. Motoko thought _we_ thought _she_ was somehow involved in Keitaro's kidnappin', and Su jus' ignored me the whole time. It ain't good."

At that point, Motoko arrived at the open door to the kanrinin's room, looking extremely angry. "Haruka-san, I know you have your reasons, but this is really too much! I must insist that these males don't disturb us any longer."

Haruka drew a puff on her cigarette, rolling her eyes. "Motoko-chan, you want to find Keitaro, don't you? These men are very good at finding lost people."

Nakajima didn't even bother to wheel his chair around. He was probably used to people vilifying him. "I'm going to find your lost kanrinin, Aoyama-san. But to do that, I must check this room myself. I need any traces that the kidnapper may have left behind…"

"We already told you who the kidnapper is…and where he goes to school!" Motoko said in a quiet, icy voice. "Isn't that enough for you?"

Nakajima shook his head, one of the few wordless gestures he could still perform. "I'm afraid we don't know that for sure, and even if we did, we would need evidence to press charges against him. Besides, remember there were others involved, and we'll need to find out who they are too."

Motoko glared. She couldn't argue with such logic. "Very well, but please leave my fellow tenants and I alone now. We've all been through enough."

"I'm sure you have." Nakajima muttered distractedly as Armando finished gathering trace from the floor and Motoko left. Nakajima sighed. There was still plenty of trace to collect around Hinatasou and outside before going to the lab, and he could already see his blood pressure was rising from his chair's barometer.

_I've never been good at dealing with young people._

* * *

Kurt'kai groaned deliberately into the phone. He hated this. It was worse and worse every time.

"_Hey, Kurt'kai."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Phone for you."_

"_Here?"_

Kurt'kai had known what that meant all right. From the moment the words left Dung'vick's lips. There was one, single, heavily guarded and anonymous phone line into Hoshimoto from the outside world, and for him, there were just two people who knew its number.

He had sighed and told Dung'vick to pass the connection through; a decision he almost instantly regretted when he realized which of the two it was.

"_How are you, Kurt?"_

It had been getting more and more frequent recently. Perhaps his mother was hoping for some breakthrough, some change, some desperate call for help from her oldest son to give her the chance to correct her mistakes.

Kurt'kai's mother had received the contact from his father, against Kurt'kai's wishes and better judgment. Since then, they had ten-minute icy chats and then thirty-minute rows from opposite ends of the world more often than the Exile would have liked.

His mother's lilting voice and honeyed tone was amusing for a while, but not too long. Hearing that voice dredged up a lot of things that Kurt'kai usually kept buried deep within.

Memories. Kurt'kai remembered nothing so clearly about his life before Exile anymore. He tried not to think of it. Perhaps it was a side effect of his transformation three years ago, or it could be that the now-teenaged Kurt'kai cared so little to remember his life before Japan that he himself was confused as to what actually happened.

Mostly it was all gray. But some things just stung so badly he could never forget. Oh, there were good things he could vaguely remember: Christmas nights, family dinners, church hymns. But the bad stood out in Kurt'kai's memory all the more clearly.

And hearing voices now sometimes unlocked those little gray boxes he wanted so badly to keep closed.

* * *

_October 1989. Little sandy-haired Kurt at six years old, teary-faced and wearily resigned to his fate, picked up his little plastic backpack and followed his mother in a coat, baby brother in a stroller, and father in a suit onto the plane, back to the USA. Back home._

_Two more years. Kurt said good bye to his Dad one last time, kissed him, and waved until his father had disappeared down the airport corridor. Buddy didn't seem to notice anything, but Kurt felt his mother's icy stare on him. _

_Three more years. Kurt felt a little better now after reading his father's letter. He had no idea what he was going to do about Buddy. The kid was growing more and more troublesome every day. The two of them had usually enjoyed their fun and games. But Buddy was demanding Kurt stay away more and more often, and threw a fit when Kurt called him by his nickname at school. Dad had said just to leave him be, and Kurt knew Dad knew best._

"_KURT!!"_

_Oh no. Mom was shouting again. What had he done this time? He hadn't fought with Buddy. He hadn't broken anything in the house. He hadn't made a mess anywhere. So what was wrong?_

_Two more years. Kurt sighed to himself as he got onto the bus. The usual crescendo of jeering and unoriginal sick jokes was thrown right into his face as usual. What did it matter what they thought? Nothing. But apparently not everyone was prepared to believe that, which was in itself a nuisance considering who took part in it._

_Oh, Buddy wasn't so bad when there were no other ignorant country hicks-ville Americans around for his reputation to profit from (or degenerate from by supporting his older brother), but life at home provided enough misery of its own._

"_Get in here, you lazy child! And clean up that floor now!"_

_His mother's temper had been getting worse recently… _

"_I have better things to do, Perry. School work! And that shove wasn't necessary! I can hear, you know!"_

_His stepfather's hard follow-up shove pushed him off his feet and onto the ground. Perry stood over him, glowering._

"_And start talking straight for once, Kurt, without that stupid foreign accent! Why I had to be saddled with a fuck-brained little freak like you, I'll never understand. This is my home! Do as I say, boy, or find yourself another one!"_

_Kurt glanced over at his mother, whom he could tell didn't appreciate her second husband's actions, but who crossed her arms and forced herself to glare at her son for the sake of avoiding more domestic troubles._

"_Get out of the house, son. Take everything you can and do exactly what I tell you."_

_Kurt pressed the receiver furiously to his ear, tears running down his cheeks as his father told him what to do, his brother's, mother's, and stepfather's screams of hatred still ringing in his ears._

_He said he would be there. At Tokyo Narita International Airport._

* * *

"_Come back, son!"_

Kurt'kai sighed as his mother finally cut to the chase.

"_Kurt, you've proven you can do it now. Come back to us!"_

"Mother, it was never up to you or anyone else whether I can "do it" or not. Besides, to whom do I owe it now that I can "do it" now, as you put it? I don't owe it to you, or to Buddy, and I most certainly don't owe it to Perry. I owe it all to Dad and the people of Japan! My answer's no, Mother! I'm staying right here."

And he hung up before she could argue.

Kurt'kai turned, and saw Shinobu, sitting and having dinner in his room, staring at him. He had the feeling she understood a lot more of the English language than she could pronounce.

He frowned. This would cause trouble. Japan held a collectivist culture, and family generally carried more weight in this part of the world that it did in the West. He had been lectured dozens of time by Japanese acquaintances about the importance of family and he had the feeling he would now have to sit through another.

So what Shinobu said next utterly surprised him.

"I understand."

"What?"

Then it hit him. He remembered what Kei'joshua had said. Shinobu herself had left her family to live with him and his other former tenants. Something about a bad family break up and poor Shinobu forced to choose between her parents. In the end, she apparently chose neither. Kurt'kai sighed. That was a choice _he_ had never been given, it had been made for him, and it took a long time to gather enough courage to choose what he wanted for himself. Shinobu, on the other hand, had been helped by someone she barely knew, Kei'joshua, and made a choice of her own. He envied her. He had had no-one.

"We're more alike than you know, Shinobu-chan." Kurt'kai said quietly. "My family don't exactly pamper me either…"

* * *

They walked side-by-side out through the cold grounds of Hoshimoto. It wasn't snowing now, but the bitter cold made Shinobu pull the fur coat close around her.

"You see how special it is here, Shinobu-chan?"

"It's wonderful…"

"I look around and I see many things. Whatever becomes of our society in the future, I just hope this place will remain, Shinobu-chan." He looked down at her. He towered over the petite girl and couldn't help but feel that she looked like some slender little porcelain doll that would shatter at the slightest touch. Some old impulse was telling him to wind his hand around her waist as he had done with another girl so often before it was almost instinctive. But he quickly chased _that _instinct away; it had already caused him to upset Shinobu once. _Kids' gloves with her._

"It's always been a haven to people who…lost faith in their own people and their own country. Don't you sometimes feel that the world isn't right, Shinobu-chan?"

She said nothing. Just kept looking at him. Finally she opened her mouth and spoke.

"I…I understand now, Kurt'kai. I know why you did what you did. If you lost your own family…then…then…why care?"

"Yes. That's an oversimplification, Shinobu-chan, but yes. Of course I had other reasons, and so does everyone in this society. Ask Kel'ri or Cass'ko, and I'm sure you'll understand even more."

When she looked up at him again, she could see a determination, and a curiosity, in her eyes. "How does it feel, Kurt'kai-kun?"

She said it again. He wished she would remember to drop the honorific from his name.

"Just Kurt'kai, Shinobu-chan. And how does what feel?"

"When you feed." She was looking at him in a searching way. "What do you feel?"

He was surprised at the question. No-one had ever dared ask him that before. He struggled for an answer. "Um, Shinobu, do you remember how you felt when you opened your first birthday present…that you remember I mean?" He grimaced. _How foolish._

"Well…yes…I felt like, something was…gushing up inside me, like a fountain of…of…"

"Yes, that feeling. That's exactly it, Shinobu-chan…except it doesn't just fountain up inside you. It's like a huge bubble that just grows and shrinks again with each bite of _ki_, until it just bursts, and your whole body burns with happiness."

"But the most important thing, Shinobu-chan, isn't the purge of our own bodies of our former country. It's…how the society - no part of our feeding – allows us to be free. We're free of all chains: cultural, religious, and legal. We're completely…free. My kind don't believe that any of those things should make on suffer or flourish. It's our way of life."

"But Kurt'kai, there's still so much the world can do for you. You sound like some…some _cult_ when we first hear about you. Why do you have to be so lonely?"

"_Cult_?" Kurt'kai laughed. "I just said, Shinobu-chan, it's a way of life, not worship. And the Exiles certainly don't devote their _lives_ to anything. For people like you maybe it could be difficult to understand, Shinobu-chan, but for me, I've been Destined down this path for a long time, as has your former _kanrinin_, and now it's the best life for us both."

He reached out and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Now that's clear, why don't you go see Kei'joshua? He misses you, you know."

* * *

Taichi Akio was annoyed. He and his personal contact in the police, Keiji Kuramoto, were sitting in his Kanto building office right now. He threw the report on the desk in front of him. "It's all in there, Keiji-san. Kidnapping. And _he _was most certainly involved."

Keiji took a long drag in his cigar. Expensive Cuban brand, Akio noted with interest, looking at his Kanto associate's bearded, stern-faced profile.

Keiji Kuramoto was one of the most decorated Kanto Captains in history. Top-notch record in law enforcement and crime prevention. Kanto karate champion and expert marksman. Awarded a medal for bravery for rescuing captured children from a building slowly filling with toxic fumes. He had spent most time off the streets in his office in the last couple of years and, to nobody's surprise, there were rumors floating around that he was headed for an office bigger than any one in the Kanto building.

Akio couldn't wish for a better associate in Japan's much-feared specialist police force – if only the man before him were a little easier to subjugate.

Keiji may have been a civil servant (of sorts) but he certainly wasn't a pushover for this week's or next week's administration. On several occasions, he had outright attacked the Justice administration's frequent new policies regarding the Kanto's methodology and rallied enough support for them to be put down. He had doubtlessly been through all the methods: persuasion, promise, warnings, tricks, bribes, threats, but Akio knew that no amount of anything could sway this man off his own road. And worse, he had the most of the structure of the Tokyo Kanto hanging on his every word.

The hard-faced Captain gave the file a disinterested glance now. "Senator Taichi, sir, I understand the information you bring is almost certainly well-founded – you would not bring it if it wasn't – but this is not the Kanto's legal jurisdiction. Kanto is for the confrontation of current criminal activity, sir, not for its investigation, however important such investigation may be."

Akio felt his blood pressure starting to rise, but he tried to calm himself down. He knew he must be careful. Keiji didn't know what he was doing questioning _him_, the prefect of Kanagawa, but the problem was he was right. Kanto was not into the investigation of past crimes, only in the suppression of current, ongoing ones. And as such, he, Akio, had to be on his best behavior if he was going to make Keiji see his point.

"Yes, yes, I am aware of that, Keiji-san. However, I believe this case may be only part of a larger, more organized line of kidnappings orchestrated by the same foreign terrorist group."

He could see that he had Keiji's attention now, but the captain still looked doubtful, looking at another file he had been reading on his desk. "You're sure, sir?"

"Almost certainly. This file contains the report from a reported case of kidnapping from an old inn in the small town of Hinata Hot Springs in my prefecture."

Keiji looked at him slightly before lowering his gaze slightly to his current case infront of him. "An old inn in a hot spring town, you say, sir?" He didn't even smirk, but Akio, to his silent anger, could hear a spark of humor in the captain's voice. "Not a likely spot for a kidnapping case, sir, least of all an organized one. Was it investigated by the local police authority sufficiently?"

"No." Akio said, letting a flash of anger show in his voice to add credibility to his opening act. "It wasn't investigated _at all_, even after it was _reported_…_a full day_ after the incident."

He knew this would spark Keiji's attention. Even if investigation wasn't his job, hearing about the _lack _of it would definitely stir him. Sure enough, he could see Keiji's eyes were fully on him now, not looking at his current case. Akio smiled inwardly.

"Sir…that would merit a charge of neglect on the officers responsible. Other than that, I'm afraid I…"

"No, that's not all, captain…" Akio continued, hoping his use of the rank would stroke his vanity. "Such a charge _can't_ be merited. Because the order came directly to the authority from the police headquarters to close the case without any further investigation. _At all._"

Keiji picked up the file and set it over his old one, much to Akio's satisfaction, and began scanning the only two pages on it: the details provided in the report of the incident, and the department order to close the case.

"A case of kidnapping like this, captain," Akio continued in his most persuasive voice. "Is hardly something you police can just dismiss, is it? And I've done a little research of my own on this matter after I heard it in passing on my last visit to the little town for a bath." A convincing lie; he'd never set foot in the forsaken dump. "I believe the activity described in this file, or rather the _lack_ of it, is consistent with several other cases I researched in my career as a prosecutor."

Keiji was fully alert now and listening to his every word. "Repeat action, you believe, sir? And corruption in the force?"

Akio could see this was going well. He was having more luck than he had with Hadaki…

"Yes. I believe it is the same group of terrorists performing the acts and their puppet, whoever he is, closing them for convenience. A most disgraceful act on any officer's part wouldn't you say, captain?"

"Yes, sir. But again, this is not my jurisdiction. I cannot move against any criminal on the grounds of mere _suspicion_, senator. I must have evidence, witnesses…and suspects. Internal affairs would be your best hope, sir."

Taichi shook his head. "I'm afraid maybe this particular group might be dangerous, captain. So dangerous that not even Internal will dare to cross them, however indirectly…but I should mention…"

He leaned across the table to look at the curious Keiji. "…I've _got_ some solid evidence, captain, and a witness to this group's existence…"

He reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone, passing it across the table to Keiji, who looked at the display curiously.

Akio smiled as he closed the jaws on Keiji's ankles. "_And_ I have a suspect."

* * *

That evening, they had a small party in Kurt'kai's room. He had tried to persuade her to at least wait until they'd finished eating, but Kel'ri had insisted on dazzling the five of them with her not-so-glorious singing performance before dinner and now Kei'joshua and Shinobu were still wincing and rubbing their ears.

"You'll get used to it." He reassured them, or at least that's what he _tried_ to do. AMybe they'd been hoping it was a one-off occasion.

Kei'joshua was still the quiet man he had always been, though he was obviously happy as they ate, reaching out and squeezing Shinobu's hand, making her face turn red.

"Sempai…" she whispered.

The other Exiles smiled, knowing the return of Shinobu's formal title was a good sign. Shinobu knew he was still the same man.

"I'm bringing out the fish!" Cass'ko called in Japanese from the kitchenette next to his room.

Kurt'kai happily then lowered his attention to the food in front of him. Expensive, imported Australian beef steak. He licked his lips. Not exactly the healthiest of meals, but it filled an empty stomach so well you…

_RRRRRIIIINNNNGGG!_

_Knock, knock._

"_Kurt'kai, Kel'ri!_ _Emergency drill! Get out here!_" a harsh, familiar voice called from beyond the door as the blaring horn sounded.

The two Exiles looked at each other in the same instant and let out simultaneous groans.

Why did Sim always drop the bomb when they were about to eat?

He rose, his face immediately hardening as it always did when duty called. He could see Kei'joshua and Shinobu looked alarmed as Cass'ko poked her head around the wooden doorjamb.

"Gotta go. Don't worry. Just finish up and save the chow for us, please." He said tightly with a smile as Kel'ri stepped over to stand at his shoulder.

"What's going on?" Kei'joshua asked, his voice curious and vibrant with Exile infusion.

"Fables' drill." Kel'ri sighed. "Should've guessed we'd see one while Jake'shi is away. We've all gotta get out and get geared up, assemble, and stand still for two hours." She groaned. "Waste of time. But Sim says 'proper procedure for competent guardians.'" And she proceeded to describe him in another way that made the Exiled Princess glare at her for upsetting Shinobu with her language.

Kurt'kai turned and strode to the door. He reached fro the handle and paused, as an idea struck him. He turned. "**Do you want to come, Cass'ko?**"

She stepped back, shaking her head. "**You know how I feel about that, Kurt'kai.**"

Then he turned his head and grinned at his newest brother Exile. "**How about you, Kei'joshua?**"

His head snapped up as he stared.

"**Why don't you come with us?**" Kurt'kai repeated, smiling.

He could think of no better way to solve Sim's problem.

* * *

The Korean-born ex-marine threw his arms up in the air. "**HOW many times do I have to tell you, KURT'KAI?!**"

The Exiles both fidgeted nervously as they stood in the training hall. The exhausting drill was over. There was nothing like standing and sitting in uncomfortable positions wearing battle armor in the cold mountain air for two hours to wear out your joints.

But Sim had noticed one unfamiliar face looking around nervously and immediately guessed the truth.

And now, they stood, undismissed, before Sim.

The tall, strong, scarred man glared at them fiercely with slanted, sun-golden glowing eyes. Over his straight, flaring nose and cracked pale skin they made him look like a predatory hawk.

Kei'joshua had the curious notion of feeling like a mouse about to be torn to pieces under his beak. He trembled until Kurt'kai lightly nudged his leather-sheathed elbow into his side, the gesture reminding him not to look directly at Sim until spoken to.

Kei'joshua could still feel that predatory gaze as Kurt'kai spoke to Sim.

"**Sir, he is a new Exile. One of us. What he was doesn't matter anymore. He should be recognized…**"

He was cut off abruptly as Sim strode up to him. "**Don't presume to tell me what I should do, boy! It's foolishness like that I believe is the only thing that lets you down, Kurt'kai!** **You could be the best of my Fables, but that thick skull of yours ruins it all!**"

Kurt'kai went red and shifted his feet before looking down.

Sim glared at him before he took a step over to Kei'joshua. He instinctively shied away. Sim snorted in disgust. "**No backbone, just as I thought."** But he said it without any anger.

Kei'joshua could feel Sim looking at him, gazing at the thin arms and slight build. "**Even if I did want him in my Fables, Kurt'kai, he wouldn't last a day of training.**"

"**Sir, if I may speak frankly, I don't believe I was any different when you met me, sir…and your training saved my life.**"

And Kurt'kai looked up and locked gazes with the Fables' master, whose gaze seemed to soften slightly at his reminder. "**And you know now, I would do anything for you, Sim.** **But please, can you do this for me? He needed the Exiled way of life more than I ever did, and I know he has courage. Lots of it. I have no doubt he'll be an asset to the Fables…**"

Sim looked at him, sighed as though he genuinely regretted it, and shook his head. "**I will decide that, Kurt'kai. I can't take him right now. If he is the Exile you believe…I might train him, but for now…**"

He stopped in mid-stride, a light upturn creasing the corner of his mouth. He turned around and gazed at Kurt'kai. "**Why don't **_**you**_** train him, my young friend?**"

If it was possible, Kurt'kai's jaw would have slipped off his face and hit the floor right there and then. "_**What?!**_"

Sim gave a humorless chuckle. "**If you have such faith in him, my young Fable, **_**you **_**train him. This might be a chance to see exactly **_**how**_** far you have come** **since I rebuilt the Fables, Kurt'kai.**"

He held up three of his scarred, gnarled fingers. "**Three months, and if he's a match for a Fable of my choosing, I will train him. But if not…**" Sim twisted his wrist into a thumbs-down.

Kurt'kai turned his head and gazed at Kei'joshua, clearly speechless.

Finally, Kei'joshua dared to speak.

"What did he say?"

* * *

Motoko sat, alone in her room, meditating.

Tonight was the night.

And the thought had barely left her head before she heard the clacking of talons on the wooden frame of her window.

She rose, opening it, and letting the messenger bird inside. The message was still attached to its foot. She unrolled the thin paper and read it.

Emblazoned on the scroll were the words, written in old-fashioned script.

"They are found."

Motoko's quest began now.

* * *

_BANG!! CRASSSSHHH!_

Ky'nae bolted upright in his sleeping bag, looking around quickly at Roy's loft. He could hear screams and the sound of running footsteps from the bar below. There were frightened voices, and other ones loud and authoritarian. Ky'nae could just make out a bellowed phrase. Someone was being ordered to tell someone 'where'.

Ky'nae looked around. He was the only one here tonight.

The door out onto the inner descending staircase banged open and Reiko was there, breathless and panting and holding the key in her hand.

"Rei-chan…"

Without looking at him or saying a word, she turned and slammed the door closed, turning the key in the lock.

"Rei-chan!" Ky'nae said again, standing up in his pyjamas. "What's going on?!"

She rushed over to him, grabbing his shoulders. "They're here, Ky'nae-kun! Roy! They've got Roy!! _They're looking for you!_ _They know you're here!_ _You've got to get out!_"

"Rei-chan! Hold on!" He took her arms and pulled her face close. "_Who's_ here?"

There was a loud banging on the door Reiko had locked.

"_Open up! In the name of the law!"_

Ky'nae froze. He could just see the black uniform through a crack below the door's single curtain.

_Kanto._

But they were supposed to be…

Reiko bent down hurriedly and slung Ky'nae's coat around his shoulders. She tossed his sneakers at him, hissing "Take the outside stairs, Ky'nae-kun! I'll try to slow them down while you…"

But she couldn't say anything else. There was a yell, the silhouette throwing the shade of a kick, the cracking of old wood, and all of a sudden a black-clad, helmeted Kanto officer stood in the doorway, nightstick in hand.

Ky'nae moved his hand closer to where his own staff should be, and groaned inwardly as he remembered he was unarmed.

He drew himself up, foot only halfway into his shoe. "Good evening officer-san. What can I do for…"

He got no farther. The Kanto walked over and quickly brought his stick down over Ky'nae's head. Hard.

Ky'nae slumped to the floor of the loft. Reiko screamed in horror and backed away.

The Kanto looked at her and slowly lifted his helmet's faceplate. "Go home."

She gasped.

"_Otou-san_?!"

Keiji Kuramoto sighed as he looked at his disowned daughter.

"I'm sorry, Reiko. They had evidence this time."

* * *

**Author**: Hoo boy, I think over the course of this fic, it's become so twisted and labyrinthine even I'm confused! I like to think though, that it'll make for good practice if I can ever get off my lazy butt long enough to write my book. Anyway, Chinh?

**Chinh**: Next up, our newest Exile in Kanto custody with Akio, Nakajima continues his own investigation, and Motoko unveils her plan! Oooh, the suspense!

**Author**: Well spoken. Oh, and another article heading from the _Viet Nam News_! Oh this is just precious! May 2008 edition: _Prime Minister struggles with diarrhea outbreak!_ Heh, I assume that means the outbreak in the region and not him personally! Ok, people, please leave a review or two. I love to know what you think, and it pushes me to continue for you.

**Chinh**: Love you all, readers!

* * *

HOSHIMOTO – HOME OF THE JEDAIAHIM, THE EXILES OF JAPAN

EXILE FILE: 0071

EXILE NAME: SIM

AGE: 27

The Master of the Jedaiahim Exiled Fables. He was once a competitive martial arts fighter and marine captain in the South Korean armed forces. He was one of the undercover operatives working in Japan when he found that his own government had set him and his unit up to be captured to stage a diplomatic crisis for political feuding in Korea. Upset and angry after his imprisonment in Japan, Sim was "persuaded" in several painful ways to sign a "confession" to a terrorist mission set by the current Korean President. This was due to the scheming of a prominent Korean politician who wanted to take his place in Seoul. In the end, to spare himself and his men any more agony, Sim reluctantly signed the confession for the corrupt politician's Japanese liaison. Predictably enough, the Korean government claimed they had never heard of him or his mission. Thus, he and his men were taken and placed in high-security prison in the more remote places of Japan to lock up the true nature of the scandal. But Sim and his men were trained marines and they were eventually able to organize a mass break-out. They had almost cleared the prison grounds when they came under fire from the guards. Only Sim survived.

Alone, grieved, and weak from his ordeal in prison, Sim might have died under the harsh conditions if he was not found by the first Exiles and taken away for recovery.

Awakening in Hoshimoto, still in its construction at that time, he was welcomed by a multitude of strange foreigners, most of them who did not even speak his language. Kept in Hoshimoto as he recovered, he gradually learned of the Exiles and their way of life. Sim later heard that the plot involving him had failed and that the current Korean leader was still in power, but he could not return to Korea for obvious reasons. Also, true to his Korean-bred prejudice and the scars down his body made by a Japanese whip, Sim would not work for the Japanese. His only option was to join the Exiles, and have their political protection. It was a good decision as he later found. He mostly believes the Exiles' beliefs to be foolhardy and delusional, but he respects their love of peace and equality, and so he agreed to become the trainer of the Exiles' defense team, the Exiled Fables. His knowledge and expertise in all forms of short and long-range combat as well as his natural leadership skills have made the Fables a dedicated and strong team. For this, Sim is widely respected by the Exiles and feared by their enemies.


End file.
